Bananas, which come from Southeast Asia, are now grown in tropical countries all over the world. The delicious fruits of the dessert banana are the declared favorite fruit of Germans - an average of 12 kilograms are eaten per person in this country every year. But which plants are actually related to the banana?
Does the banana have related plants?
The banana we know is a tropical plant from the banana family (Musaceae). There are around100 different types of bananasand numerous cultivars. We are particularly familiar with the “Cavendish” variety. In this country there areno related plants
Are the banana and the Indian banana related plants?
Despite their name, the Indian banana and the banana arenot related plantsWhile the banana (Musa) comes from Southeast Asia, the Indian banana - also known as the three-lobed papau (Asimina triloba) is called - itsHome in North AmericaIn contrast to the warmth-loving Musa banana, the pawpaw, another name, iswinterhardyIn addition, it acts The Indian banana is aperennial treewhich produces fruits again and again - while the real banana is a stemless perennial that dies after fruiting. However, the sweet, aromatic fruits of both species are edible.
Are bananas and cucumbers related plants?
Sometimes the question comes up as to whether bananas and cucumbers are related plants. Although acertain visual similarityof the fruits cannot be denied, these two species arenot related to each otherCucumbers belong instead - by the way Zucchini also belongs to thePumpkin family(Cucurbitaceae) and are therefore related to the garden pumpkin. However, these species - the banana and the pumpkin family - are surprisinglyberries because the hard seeds inside are covered in pulp.
How many types of bananas are there?
There are around100 different types of bananas, many of the edible varieties - including the red and green fruits - containing no seeds at all. However,not all bananas are edible: Some are cultivated purely as ornamental plants. Musa textilison the other hand, the hemp banana produces strong fibers. These are used to produce textiles. The winter-hardy and therefore popularJapanese fiber banana(Musa basjoo) also serves this purpose, although its small, yellow fruits are also said to be edible. Small, red bananas are produced by the dwarf speciesMusa velutina
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Which banana plant produces edible bananas?
Edible fruits are produced by these banana plants: Japanese fiber banana (Musa basjoo) and its varieties, the dwarf edible banana (Musa 'Dwarf Cavendish'), the pink dwarf banana (Musa velutina) and the Darjeeling banana (Musa sikkimensis). However, fruit formation is very rare here because the warm growing season is too short for this. In addition, most bananas need a partner plant for pollination.
