Upright, herbaceous perennial plant with pseudo-stem. The thick rhizome in the soil can form new shoots (pups) continuously. The leaves are up to 3 metres in length, arching, with a green upper surface and sometimes a reddish or mottled lower surface. The inflorescence grows from the top of the plant, upright at first and then later bent over, ending with large violet-red sepals. The uppermost 10 to 15 bracts develop female flowers and later curved, yellow to red berries.
Bananas are used in a great variety of ways. A distinction is made between the very familiar dessert banana (M. x paradisiaca), the floury, vegetable-like cooking banana (M. x paradisiaca), the ornamental banana (Ensete ventricosum / maurelli) and what is commonly called abacá (M. textilis), the fibres of which are used in the making of textiles. There are also wild bananas which develop seeds in their fruit and are not really suitable for human consumption.
Our banana trail illustrates the variety of this well-known fruit through living plants. Over the years we have accumulated a collection of 45 different Musa varieties that grow and produce fruit at Tropenhaus Frutigen. The ripe bananas are both sold in the shop and used in our restaurant and tastings.
Tropical Asia, New Guinea, Australia and Samoa
Bananas are used in a great variety of ways. A distinction is made between the very familiar dessert banana (M. x paradisiaca), the floury, vegetable-like cooking banana (M. x paradisiaca), the ornamental banana (Ensete ventricosum / maurelli) and what is commonly called abacá (M. textilis), the fibres of which are used in the making of textiles. There are also wild bananas which develop seeds in their fruit and are not really suitable for human consumption.
Our banana trail illustrates the variety of this well-known fruit through living plants. Over the years we have accumulated a collection of 45 different Musa varieties that grow and produce fruit at Tropenhaus Frutigen. The ripe bananas are both sold in the shop and used in our restaurant and tastings.
