If you plant a banana in your garden, you will of course also expect fruit. But are hardy bananas actually edible? Or is it better to refrain from enjoying it?
Are hardy bananas edible?
First of all: Basically all bananas areedible, including the fruits of the varieties we call “hardy”. However, that meansnotthat they are alsoedible! Not all banana varieties produce tasty fruits, especially since in our latitudes they onlyrarely ripen
Is the hardy Musa basjoo banana edible?
The most famous hardy banana is the (false) Japanese fiber banana, Musa basjoo. Their fruits arebasically edible- i.e. not poisonous, as is sometimes claimed - but as a rule they do not ripen in our country anddo not taste goodThis is particularly true for Specimens that were planted out in the garden - here the growing season for the plants is simply too short for ripe fruit to develop. Things may look different for specimens kept in winter gardens with artificial light and year-round warmth. However, the fruits of the Musa basjoo arevery small,full of hard-shelled seeds and also taste very different from the well-known dessert bananas.
Can you eat the fruits of Darjeeling banana?
The same applies to the also winter-hardy Darjeeling banana (Musa sikkimensis), which can flower and produce fruit - but due to the too short growing season it usuallydoes not ripenandtherefore inedibleremain. In contrast to our dessert bananas, the fruits of Musa sikkimensis also contain a lot of hard-shelled seeds. These cannot be eaten. The ripe pulp itself tastessweetand is considered adelicacy in the plant's home countries
Which bananas are edible?
If you want to grow edible bananas, you should better usetypical fruit banana varieties and cultivate them under tropical conditions all year round. This usually only works in special greenhouses or winter gardens, but it can also work in the apartment - provided you ensure there is enough light, humidity and warmth. The edible varieties mainly include:
- Musa acuminata ‘Cavendish’
- Musa acuminata ‘Dwarf Cavendish’
- Musa velutina (Pink Dwarf Banana)
Tip
How long does it take for a banana to bear fruit?
With proper care all year round and a good supply of nutrients and water, it takes around four to five years for a banana plant to bloom and produce fruit. It takes around nine to 12 months from the flower to the ripe fruit.
