Banana

Banana fruit, raw. Scientific identity: Musa species and cultivated hybrids; the USDA record does not state a variety or genomic group. Edible part: Fresh fruit pulp; peel, flowers, leaves, pseudostem, and other plant parts are excluded. Exact source form: Bananas, raw, corresponding to USDA FoodData Central FDC 173944.

A soft, portable tropical fruit whose starch becomes sweeter and more aromatic as it ripens.

Common name

Banana

Scientific name

Musa spp. and hybrids

Family

Musaceae

Edition

Core Edibles

Flavor

Sweet · floral · mild

Texture

Firm green · creamy ripe

Season

Year-round tropical crop

Best storage

Room temperature

Great for

Fresh · bake · freeze

Know this

Most edible bananas cannot be grown from their tiny undeveloped seeds

Most edible bananas are seedless and cannot be started from the tiny dark specks in grocery fruit. The practical starting piece is living plant material.

START WITH

A disease-free banana sucker, corm division, or tissue-culture plant

CLIMATE

Warm, humid, frost-free; roughly zones 9b–11, or containers moved indoors

LIGHT

6–8+ hours of direct sun

SOIL

Rich, deep, well-drained soil that stays moist

1. 1

   Start it

   Plant the corm or rooted plant at its former depth after weather is consistently above 60°F. Firm soil and water thoroughly.

2. 2

   Give it room

   Allow 8–12 feet per mat in ground. Keep one fruiting stem, one follower, and one young sucker; remove extras.

3. 3

   Water correctly

   Provide steady deep moisture, often 1–2 inches weekly in heat, without waterlogging roots.

4. 4

   Care for it

   Mulch heavily, feed during active growth, shelter from wind, and remove dead leaves. Protect or move containers before frost.

5. 5

   Harvest

   Cut the bunch when fingers are plump, ridges round off, and the first fruit begins changing color. Hang the bunch in shade to finish ripening.

In sustained warmth, a new plant often fruits in about 12–18 months.

Cut the bunch when fingers are plump, ridges round off, and the first fruit begins changing color. Hang the bunch in shade to finish ripening.