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Most of us have been convinced since childhood that bananas grow on palm trees. Therefore, the idea that tasty, sweet, oblong-shaped fruits have nothing to do with this tree does not come to mind at all. And it’s also hard to believe that the plant on which yellow berries (not fruits) grow is actually grass, even if it’s very tall.

Bananas are not trees and belong to the genus of large perennial herbaceous plants, which has about forty species and more than three hundred varieties. The plants have very large leaves arranged in a spiral, which overlap each other to form a false trunk about ten meters high, making the plant look like a banana tree.

There are four varieties of bananas:

Ornamental - they bloom very beautifully, but have inedible fruits;
Technical - rafts are built from plant stems, seat cushions are made, and in Africa they are often used to make fishing nets;
Fodder or plantains - require heat treatment: the pulp is unsweetened, hard with high content starch, and therefore flour is made from them. In addition, bananas from this group are often used as animal feed.
Fruit or dessert - do not require heat treatment, have juicy and sweet pulp, and therefore can be eaten raw, dried or dried.

Spreading

Bananas are native to the tropical latitudes of Asia and Africa, as well as the Pacific Islands. The northernmost point where bananas grow is the Japanese Ryukyu Island.

Although these plants are native to tropical latitudes, they do not grow in areas where drought lasts more than three months, and in order for them to produce a good harvest, the monthly rainfall must exceed 100 mm.

Bananas prefer to grow in acidic, mineral-rich soil. The presence of potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen in the soil is especially important: this allows you to annually harvest about 400 centners of fruit per hectare. Optimal temperature indicators for plant growth during the day range from 25 to 36°C, at night - from 21 to 27°C. If the air temperature where bananas grow is low (16°C), the growth rate slows down and stops at 10°C. True, some types of bananas, for example Rajapuri, can withstand temperatures around zero.

Plants do well in the mountains. They can usually be seen at an altitude of about 900 meters above the ocean surface. In some latitudes they are found even higher: the maximum altitude where bananas grow was recorded in New Guinea and is about 2 thousand km above sea level. m.

Description

The plant has numerous powerful roots, going deep up to one and a half meters, to the sides - up to five. From the roots comes a short stem that does not protrude above the ground, to which from six to twenty leaves are attached. The parts of the leaves adjacent to the stem overlap at the base and form a semblance of a trunk with a height of two to twelve meters, together with bamboos being the tallest grasses on the planet.

Since bananas are a herb, their stem never becomes woody, and the part above the ground dies off after the fruit ripens.

Speaking of the banana as a herb, one can observe an unusual effect: after the main stem dies, its place is immediately taken by the largest of the many shoots located on the root.

Banana leaves are very large, soft, can be either oblong or oval in shape, arranged in a spiral so that their bases curl into a dense multilayer tube, forming a false stem. Once a week, one young leaf appears and grows inside the bunch, while at the same time the old, outer leaf begins to die and then falls off.

Bloom

The plant begins to bloom eight to ten months after its appearance on the surface. Before a banana plant blooms, a flower stalk appears on the main stem, which penetrates the false stem, passes upward through it, and comes out. The inflorescence resembles an elongated round bud of green or purple

, at the base of which there are large female flowers, at the edges there are small male flowers, and between them there are medium-sized bisexual sterile flowers with three petals. When the male flowers open, they fall off almost immediately, leaving the upper part of the inflorescence exposed. The flowers are collected in brushes in quantities from 12 to 20 pieces, and are arranged one above the other in layers, each of which is covered with thick waxy leaves on top. Flowers of fruit varieties white

, while the leaves that cover them are dark red on the inside, and purple on the outside. Wild bananas are pollinated by small animals or birds (if the variety blooms in the morning), or the bats

(if at night), while cultivated plants reproduce vegetatively.

Fruits are produced only in female flowers. As each layer grows, it begins to look more and more like a hand with a huge amount fingers, which are a thick-skinned berry (fruits do not grow on herbs).

Depending on the type of banana, the berries can differ greatly from each other. They are generally characterized by a straight or curved oblong shape. The length of the berries ranges from three to forty centimeters, diameter - from two to eight. Banana peel is usually yellow, but green, red, and silver colors are often found.

The pulp of the berries is white, yellow, cream or orange. At the initial stage, it is a sticky and hard mass, which over time turns into juicy and soft. Fruit varieties almost always have no seeds in the berries, so they reproduce through the roots. If people had not been breeding them, they would hardly have been able to survive for a long time and populate the surrounding area.

But in plants that grow in wildlife, the pulp is filled with a huge number of seeds (in some varieties their number can reach two hundred).

Their length ranges from 3 to 16 mm, so there is very little pulp inside such a fruit, which is one of the reasons why a wild banana is inedible.

Thus, on one layer there can be about three hundred berries, the total mass of which is about sixty kilograms. As soon as the fruits set, they all grow downwards, but then several layers unfold and begin to grow vertically upwards.

The ripening of berries usually takes from 10 to 15 months, while fruit bananas give a rich harvest for five to six years, while wild plants actively bear fruit for more than twenty-five.

Since ripe berries are very easily damaged and spoil quickly, they are usually cut green, when they are only three-quarters ripe (this makes them easier to transport). The berries ripen on the way or upon arrival, often at the buyers’ homes.

After the berries ripen, the main stem and leaves of the plant die off, and are replaced by a new shoot located nearby, which turns into a stem and produces leaves.

Properties of berries

The benefits of bananas have been noticed for a long time. They are a low-fat, but very nutritious product, since they are characterized by an increased amount of carbohydrates. So, one hundred grams of pulp contains:
23 g carbohydrates;
1.1 g – proteins;

For this reason, berries are recommended to be consumed after intense physical or mental stress: being high-energy berries, they significantly increase blood sugar levels.

Another benefit of bananas is that they contain a lot of micro- and macroelements, primarily magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron. Many antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins in bananas also play a role last role(primarily vitamins A, B, C, E, PP).

Doctors often advise people who have a diseased liver or kidneys to include these berries in their diet, as well as those with hypertension, anemia, heartburn, and constipation. The berries have antiseptic and astringent properties, so they are recommended for stomach and intestinal ulcers (though not during exacerbations).

Doctors advise avoiding the berry if you have increased blood clotting, coronary artery disease, or thrombophlebitis: the berry helps remove fluid from the body, which leads to thickening of the blood, which can result in clogged blood vessels and the formation of a blood clot. Bananas are also not recommended for people who have recently had a heart attack or stroke.

Banana plant at home

Since the banana plant is a resident of tropical latitudes, it is extremely difficult to grow it at home. The main reasons why bananas are difficult to grow are the need for an optimal combination of temperature, humidity, lighting and soil saturated with minerals necessary for plant growth.

At home, you can grow a banana plant yourself by planting a seed, or buy an already sprouted specimen. It should be taken into account that the seeds will grow into a variety whose fruits are inedible (seeds of fruit crops are not sold, since these plants have almost no seeds, so their reproduction occurs vegetatively). The process of seed germination at home is a rather long process and you will have to wait two months at best for germination. But immediately after it appears above the surface, active growth begins.

If you want to grow fruit bananas at home, it is better to buy an already sprouted plant. To breed them at home, breeders developed varieties of bananas that are less demanding on growing conditions, more resistant to diseases and relatively low, up to one and a half meters in height. With proper care, you can achieve flowering of the plant and the appearance of edible fruits in an ordinary apartment.

If you don’t want to bother at all, but want to have such a plant at home, you can buy a banana tree, Annona triloba or Pawpaw, which got its name thanks to its fruits that resemble the shape of bananas. The pawpaw lends itself perfectly to cultivation at home and, despite the fact that in nature it reaches twelve meters, the plant can be made into a bonsai.

In 2014, the Japanese company Takii seed introduced petunia with a striking petal color - salmon-orange. Based on associations with the bright colors of the southern sunset sky, the unique hybrid was named African Sunset. Needless to say, this petunia instantly won the hearts of gardeners and was in great demand. But in the last two years, the curiosity has suddenly disappeared from store windows. Where did the orange petunia go?

In our family Bell pepper they love it, that’s why we plant it every year. Most of the varieties that I grow have been tested by me for more than one season; I cultivate them constantly. I also try to try something new every year. Pepper is a heat-loving plant and quite whimsical. Varietal and hybrid varieties of tasty and productive sweet peppers, which grow well for me, will be discussed further. I live in central Russia.

Meat cutlets with broccoli in bechamel sauce are a great idea for a quick lunch or dinner. Start by preparing the mince and at the same time heat 2 liters of water to a boil to blanch the broccoli. By the time the cutlets are fried, the cabbage will be ready. All that remains is to collect the ingredients in a frying pan, season with sauce and bring to readiness. Broccoli needs to be cooked quickly to preserve its bright green color, which, when cooked for a long time, either fades or the cabbage turns brown.

Home floriculture is not only a fascinating process, but also a very troublesome hobby. And, as a rule, the more experience a grower has, the healthier his plants look. What should those who do not have experience do, but want to have indoor plants at home - not elongated, stunted specimens, but beautiful and healthy ones that do not cause a feeling of guilt with their fading? For beginners and flower growers who do not have much experience, I will tell you about the main mistakes that are easy to avoid.

Lush cheesecakes in a frying pan with banana-apple confiture - another recipe for everyone’s favorite dish. To prevent cheesecakes from falling off after cooking, remember a few simple rules. Firstly, only fresh and dry cottage cheese, secondly, no baking powder or soda, thirdly, the thickness of the dough - you can sculpt from it, it is not tight, but pliable. A good dough with a small amount of flour can only be obtained from good cottage cheese, and here again see the “firstly” point.

It is no secret that many drugs from pharmacies have migrated to summer cottages. Their use, at first glance, seems so exotic that some summer residents are perceived with hostility. At the same time, potassium permanganate is a long-known antiseptic that is used in both medicine and veterinary medicine. In plant growing, a solution of potassium permanganate is used both as an antiseptic and as a fertilizer. In this article we will tell you how to properly use potassium permanganate in the garden.

Pork meat salad with mushrooms is a rural dish that can often be found on festive table in the village. This recipe is with champignons, but if you have the opportunity to use wild mushrooms, be sure to cook it this way, it will be even tastier. You don’t need to spend a lot of time preparing this salad - put the meat in a pan for 5 minutes and another 5 minutes for slicing. Everything else happens practically without the participation of the cook - the meat and mushrooms are boiled, cooled, and marinated.

Cucumbers grow well not only in a greenhouse or conservatory, but also in open ground. Typically, cucumbers are sown from mid-April to mid-May. Harvesting in this case is possible from mid-July to the end of summer. Cucumbers cannot tolerate frost. That's why we don't sow them too early. However, there is a way to bring their harvest closer and taste the juicy beauties from your garden at the beginning of summer or even in May. It is only necessary to take into account some of the features of this plant.

Polyscias is an excellent alternative to classic variegated shrubs and woody ones. The elegant round or feathery leaves of this plant create a strikingly festive curly crown, and its elegant silhouettes and rather modest character make it an excellent candidate for the role of the largest plant in the house. Larger leaves do not prevent it from successfully replacing Benjamin and Co. ficus. Moreover, polyscias offers much more variety.

Pumpkin cinnamon casserole is juicy and incredibly tasty, a little like pumpkin pie, but unlike pie, it is more tender and just melts in your mouth! This is the perfect sweet recipe for a family with children. As a rule, kids don’t really like pumpkin, but they never mind eating something sweet. Sweet pumpkin casserole is a delicious and healthy dessert, which, moreover, is very simple and quick to prepare. Try it! You'll like it!

A hedge is not only one of essential elements landscape design. She also performs various protective functions. If, for example, the garden borders a road, or there is a highway nearby, then a hedge is simply necessary. “Green walls” will protect the garden from dust, noise, wind and create a special comfort and microclimate. In this article, we will look at the optimal plants for creating a hedge that can reliably protect the area from dust.

Many crops require picking (and more than one) in the first weeks of development, while for others transplantation is “contraindicated.” To “please” both of them, you can use non-standard containers for seedlings. Another good reason to try them is saving money. In this article we will tell you how to do without the usual boxes, pots, cassettes and tablets. And let’s pay attention to non-traditional, but very effective and interesting containers for seedlings.

Healthy vegetable soup made from red cabbage with celery, red onion and beets - a vegetarian soup recipe that can also be prepared in fast days. For those who decide to lose a few extra pounds, I would recommend not adding potatoes, and slightly reducing the amount of olive oil (1 tablespoon is enough). The soup turns out to be very aromatic and thick, and during Lent you can serve a portion of the soup with lean bread - then it will be satisfying and healthy.

Surely everyone has already heard about the popular term “hygge”, which came to us from Denmark. This word cannot be translated into other languages of the world. Because it means a lot of things at once: comfort, happiness, harmony, spiritual atmosphere... In this northern country, by the way, most of time of year - cloudy weather and little sun. Summer is also short. And the level of happiness is one of the highest (the country regularly ranks first in the UN global rankings).

Banana (lat. Musa) is a perennial herbaceous plant that belongs to the flowering department, monocot class, ginger family, banana family, banana genus.

Origin of the word "banana".

There is no exact information about the origin of the Latin definition Musa. Some researchers believe that the banana was named in memory of the court physician Antonio Musa, who served in the service of Octavian Augustus, the Roman emperor who ruled in the last decades BC. e and the first years of our era. According to another theory, it comes from the Arabic word “موز‎”, which sounds like “muz” - the name of the edible fruits produced on this plant. The concept of “banana” passed into the Russian language as a free transliteration of the word “banana” from the dictionaries of almost all European languages. Apparently, this definition was borrowed by Spanish or Portuguese sailors at the end of the 16th century. early XVII centuries from the vocabulary of tribes living in West Africa.

Banana - description, structure, characteristics and photographs.

Despite the fact that in appearance the banana resembles a tree, in fact the banana is a herb, namely a herbaceous plant with powerful roots, a short stem that does not reach the surface, and 6-20 large leaves. After bamboo, banana is the tallest grass in the world. The banana fruit is a berry.

Trunk and roots.

Numerous fibrous roots that form the root system can spread out to the sides up to 5 meters and go deeper in search of moisture up to 1.5 meters. The false banana trunk, reaching a height of 2 to 12 meters and having a diameter of up to 40 cm, has dense and long leaves, layered on top of each other.

Banana leaves.

Banana leaves have an oblong or oval shape, their length can exceed 3 meters and their width can reach 1 meter. One large longitudinal vein clearly appears on their surface, from which many small perpendicular veins extend. The colors of banana leaves are varied. Depending on the species or variety, it can be completely green, with dark burgundy spots of various shapes, or two-tone - painted in crimson shades below and rich green tones above. As the banana matures, the old leaves die and fall to the ground, and the young ones develop inside the false trunk. The renewal rate of one banana leaf under favorable conditions occurs in 7 days.

How does a banana bloom?

Active growth of bananas lasts from 8 to 10 months, after which the flowering phase begins. At this time, a long peduncle grows from an underground tuberous stem up through the entire trunk. Having made its way out, it forms a complex inflorescence, which in its shape resembles a kind of large bud, colored in purple or green shades. At its base there are banana flowers in tiers. At the very top there are large female flowers that form fruits; below that grow medium-sized bisexual banana flowers, and even lower are small male flowers that have the smallest sizes.

Regardless of size, a banana flower consists of 3 tubular petals with 3 sepals. Most bananas have white petals, the leaves that cover them are purple on the outside and dark red on the inside. Depending on the type or variety of banana, there are two types of inflorescences: erect and drooping.

At night, pollination of female flowers occurs by bats, and in the morning and day by small mammals or birds. As banana fruits develop, they resemble a hand with many fingers growing on it.

At its core, the banana fruit is a berry. His appearance depends on the species and varietal. It can be oblong cylindrical or triangular in shape and have a length from 3 to 40 centimeters. Banana skin color can be green, yellow, red and silvery. As it ripens, the hard flesh becomes soft and juicy. About 300 fruits with a total weight of up to 70 kg can develop from one inflorescence. Banana flesh is cream, white, orange or yellow. Banana seeds can be found in wild fruits, but are almost completely absent from cultivated species. After fruiting is completed, the false stem of the plant dies off, and a new one grows in its place.

Banana palm and banana tree. Do bananas grow on palm trees?

Sometimes a banana is called a banana palm, which is incorrect, since this plant does not belong to the palm family. The banana is a fairly tall plant, so it is not surprising that many people mistake it for a tree. The Greeks and Romans spoke of it as a “wonderful Indian fruit tree” - hence, by analogy with others fruit trees The expression “banana palm” has spread to this region.

The phrase “banana tree,” which is sometimes called a banana, actually refers to plants from the genus Asimina, family Annonaceae, and is associated with the similarity of the fruits of these trees with the fruits of a banana.

A banana is not a fruit, a tree, or a palm tree. In fact, a banana is a herb (herbaceous plant), and the banana fruit is a berry!

Where do bananas grow?

Bananas grow in countries of the tropical and subtropical zone: in South Asia, Latin America, Malaysia, northeastern Australia, and also on some islands of Japan. The banana plant is grown on an industrial scale in Bhutan and Pakistan, China and India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the Maldives and Nepal, Thailand and Brazil. In Russia, bananas grow naturally near Sochi, however, due to the fact that winter temperatures often fall below zero degrees, the fruits do not ripen. Moreover, under prolonged unfavorable conditions, some plants may die.

Banana composition, vitamins and minerals. What are the benefits of bananas?

Bananas are considered low-fat, but quite nutritious and energy-rich foods. The pulp of its raw fruits consists of a quarter of carbohydrates and sugars, and a third of dry substances. It contains starch, fiber, pectin, proteins and various essential oils, which give the fruit a characteristic aroma. Banana pulp contains minerals and vitamins that are useful and necessary for the human body: potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, sodium, copper, zinc, as well as vitamins B, E, C and PP. Thanks to its unique chemical composition, the plant has found application in medicine.

How many calories are in a banana?

Data per 100 grams of product:

calorie content of green banana – 89 kcal;
calorie content of a ripe banana – 110-120 kcal;
calorie content of an overripe banana – 170-180 kcal;
calorie content of dried banana – 320 kcal.

Since bananas vary in size, the calorie content of 1 banana varies between 70-135 kilocalories:

1 small banana weighing up to 80 g and up to 15 cm long contains approximately 72 kcal;
1 medium banana weighing up to 117 g and more than 18 cm long contains approximately 105 kcal;
1 large banana weighing more than 150 g and more than 22 cm long contains about 135 kcal.

Energy value of a ripe banana (ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates) (data per 100 g):

proteins in banana - 1.5 g (~6 kcal);
fats in banana - 0.5 g (~5 kcal);
carbohydrates in a banana - 21 g (~84 kcal).

It is important to note that bananas do not cope well with hunger, increasing it after a short-term satiety. The reason lies in the significant sugar content, which rises in the blood and after a while increases appetite.

Beneficial properties of banana. Use of bananas.

So what are bananas good for?

Banana pulp is used to relieve inflammatory processes occurring in the oral cavity, and also as a dietary product in the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers. In addition, banana is a laxative and is therefore used as a mild laxative. Due to the presence of tryptophan, an amino acid that prevents cell aging and has a beneficial effect on brain function, bananas are recommended for consumption by older people. The presence of potassium and magnesium allows them to be used as a means of preventing high blood pressure and stroke.
Banana flower infusion helps in the treatment of diabetes and bronchitis. The juice obtained from banana stems is a good anticonvulsant and sedative.
The invaluable benefits of bananas are concentrated in the peel. Banana skins are used for medicinal purposes. Compresses from young leaves or banana peels promote rapid healing of burns and abscesses on the skin.
Banana peels are used as fertilizer for both indoor and outdoor flowers. The point is that it contains a large number of phosphorus and potassium. Using banana peels you can also fight aphids, which cannot tolerate excess potassium. To do this, you just need to make a tincture on banana skins and water the plants with it. The easiest way to use banana peels to fertilize flowers is to simply bury them in the ground. To do this, just cut the peel into small pieces. After this procedure, even the most tired plants begin to leaf out and bloom. Banana peels take 10 days to decompose in the ground, after which bacteria eat them.
The benefits of bananas are invaluable: even overripe bananas produce a very powerful antioxidant that prevents cancer.

Residents of countries located in temperate latitudes enjoy eating raw peeled bananas as dessert and adding them to ice cream and confectionery. Some people prefer dried and canned bananas. This berry is also fried and boiled with or without the peel, adding salt, hot spices, olive oil, onion or garlic. Bananas can be used to make flour, chips, syrup, marmalade, honey and wine. In addition to the fruit, banana inflorescences are also eaten: raw inflorescences are dipped in sauce, and boiled ones are added to gravies or soups. Starch is prepared from unripe banana fruits. Boiled waste from vegetable and dessert bananas is used as feed for large and small livestock.

The fruits and other parts of the banana are used:

in the leather industry as a black dye;
in the textile industry for the production of fabrics;
for the production of especially strong marine ropes and ropes;
in the construction of rafts and the manufacture of seat cushions;
as plates and trays for serving traditional South Asian dishes in India and Sri Lanka.

Bananas: contraindications and harm.

It is not advisable to eat bananas before bed, or combine them with milk, so as not to provoke fermentation in the stomach and cause intestinal dysfunction.
People suffering from diabetes are not allowed to eat bananas because they contain little glucose and fructose, but a lot of sugar.
Bananas can cause harm to people who suffer from thrombophlebitis, as these berries help thicken the blood.

Types and varieties of bananas, names and photographs.

The genus includes about 70 species of bananas, which, depending on their use, are divided into 3 varieties:

Decorative bananas (inedible);
Plantains (platano);
Dessert bananas.

Decorative bananas.

This group includes plants with very beautiful flowers and mostly inedible fruits. They can be wild or grown for beauty. Inedible bananas are also used to make various textile products, car seat cushions and fishing nets. The most famous types of decorative bananas are:

Pointed banana (lat.Musaacuminata) grown for its beautiful leaves up to one meter long with a large central vein and many small ones, along which the leaf blade divides over time, acquiring a resemblance to a bird’s feather. The leaves of the ornamental banana are dark green; specimens with a reddish tint are often found. In greenhouse conditions, the height of a pointed banana plant can reach 3.5 meters, although in room conditions it grows no more than 2 meters. The size of the fruits of this type of banana ranges from 5 to 30 centimeters, and their color can be green, yellow and even red. The pointed banana is edible and grows in Southeast Asia, southern China, India and Australia. In countries with colder climates, this type of banana is grown as an ornamental plant.

Blue Burmese banana (lat.Musaitinerans) grows in height from 2.5 to 4 meters. The banana trunk is colored in an unusual purple- green color with silver-white coating. The color of the leaf blades is bright green, and their length on average reaches 0.7 meters. The thick skin of banana fruits is blue or purple in color. The fruits of this banana are unsuitable for food. In addition to its decorative value, blue banana is used as one of the components of the diet of Asian elephants. Banana grows in the following countries: China, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos. This plant can also be grown in a pot.

Velvet banana (velvety, purple, pink) (lat.Musavelutina) has a false trunk height of no more than 1.5 meters with a diameter of about 7 centimeters. Banana leaves, colored light green, grow up to 1 meter long and 30 centimeters wide. Many specimens have a red border along the edge of the leaf blade. The petals of the inflorescences, pleasing with their appearance for up to six months, are painted purple-pink. The pink banana peel is quite thick, and their number in a bunch does not exceed 9 pieces. The length of the fruit is 8 cm. When ripe, the skin of the fruit opens, revealing light pulp with seeds inside.

This variety of banana is used for decorative purposes. Can survive a not very cold winter. This banana is also unique in that it will bloom and bear fruit freely almost all year round at home.

Banana bright red (Indochinese banana) (lat.Musacoccinea) is a representative of low-growing plants. Its height rarely exceeds one meter. The shiny surface of the narrow bright green banana leaves emphasizes the beauty of the juicy scarlet or red inflorescences. The flowering period of banana lasts about 2 months. Grown as an ornamental plant to produce beautiful orange-red flowers. The homeland of the Indochinese banana is Southeast Asia.

Darjeeling banana (lat.Musa sikkimensis) grows up to 5.5 meters in height with a false trunk diameter at the base of about 45 cm. The color of this decorative banana can have a red tint. The length of the gray-green leaves with purple veins often exceeds 1.5-2 meters. Some varieties of Darjeeling banana have red leaf blades. Banana fruits are medium-sized, up to 13 cm in length, with a slightly sweet taste. This species is quite frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures down to -20 degrees. Bananas are grown in many European countries.

Japanese banana, Basho banana or Japanese textile banana (lat. Musa basjoo)- a cold-resistant species, reaching a height of 2.5 meters. The surface of the banana false trunk is colored in greenish or yellowish shades and covered with a thin wax-like layer, on which black spots are visible. The length of the leaf blades does not exceed 1.5 meters in length and 60 centimeters in width. The color of banana leaves varies from rich dark green at the base of the leaf to pale green at its apex. The Japanese banana grows in Japan, as well as in Russia on the Black Sea coast. It is inedible and is grown mainly for its fiber, which is used for the production of clothing, screens, and book bindings.

Textile banana, abaca (lat.Musatextilis) grown to make strong fibers from leaf sheaths. The height of the false trunk does not exceed 3.5 meters, and the diameter is 20 cm. Narrow green leaves rarely reach a length of more than one meter. The fruits, which develop on a drooping raceme, have a triangular appearance and sizes up to 8 centimeters. Inside the pulp there are a large number of small seeds. The color changes from green to straw-yellow as it ripens. Textile banana is grown in the Philippines, Indonesia, and other countries Central America in order to obtain durable fiber from which baskets, furniture and other utensils are woven.

Banana Balbis (fruit) (lat. Musa balbisiana) is a large plant with a false stem height of up to 8 meters and a diameter at the base of more than 30 centimeters. Its color varies from green to yellow-green. The length of banana leaves can exceed 3 meters with a width of about 50-60 centimeters. The leaf sheaths are colored bluish and are often covered with fine hairs. The fruit sizes reach 10 centimeters in length and 4 cm in width. Banana skin color changes with age from light yellow to dark brown or black. Banana fruits are used as pig feed. Unripe fruits are canned. The male flower buds are eaten as a vegetable. The Balbis banana grows in India, Sri Lanka and the Malay Archipelago.

Platano (plantains).

Plantain (from the French plantain) or platano (from the Spanish plátano) are quite large bananas, which are mainly (90%) eaten after heat treatment: they are fried in oil, boiled, baked in batter, steamed or cooked of which are chips. The peel of the sycamore tree is also used for food. Although there are types of sycamore that, when fully ripe, become softer, sweeter and edible even without prior heat treatment. The skin color of sycamores can be green or yellow (although they are usually sold greenish); ripe sycamores have a black skin.

Plantains differ from dessert bananas in their thicker skin, as well as in tougher and almost unsweetened pulp with a high starch content. Platano varieties have found application both in the human menu and in agriculture, where they are used as livestock feed. In many countries of the Caribbean, Africa, India and South America, dishes prepared from platano are served as side dishes for meat and fish or as a completely independent dish. Usually they are generously flavored with salt, herbs and hot chili pepper.

Types of sycamore intended for heat treatment are divided into 4 groups, each of which has different varieties:

French sycamores: varieties ‘Obino l’Ewai’ (Nigeria), ‘Nendran’ (India), ‘Dominico’ (Colombia).
French carob-shaped sycamores: varieties ‘Batard’ (Cameroon), ‘Mbang Okon’ (Nigeria).
False carob-shaped sycamores: varieties ‘Agbagda’ and ‘Orishele’ (Nigeria), ‘Dominico-Harton’ (Colombia).
Horn-shaped sycamores: varieties ‘Ishitim’ (Nigeria), ‘Pisang Tandok’ (Malaysia).

Below is a description of several varieties of sycamore:

Ground banana (banana da terra) grows mainly in Brazil. The length of the fruit often reaches 25-27 cm, and the weight is 400-500 grams. The peel is ribbed, thick, and the flesh has an orange tint. In its raw form, platano is slightly astringent in taste, but after cooking it acquires excellent flavor characteristics. The leader among platanos in the content of vitamins A and C.

Plantain Burro (Burro, Orinoco, Horse, Hog)- a herbaceous plant of medium height, resistant to cold. The fruits of the plane tree are 13-15 cm long, enclosed in a triangular peel. The pulp is dense, with a lemon flavor, and is edible raw only when overripe, so the variety is usually fried or baked.

- a plant with large fruits up to 20 cm in length. The peel is greenish in color, slightly rough to the touch, thick. In its raw form it is inedible due to its strongly astringent taste, but is perfect for preparing all kinds of dishes: chips, vegetable stews, mashed potatoes. This type of plane tree grows in India, where it is in unprecedented demand among buyers in ordinary fruit shops.

Dessert bananas.

Dessert varieties of bananas are eaten without heat treatment. In addition, they can be stored for future use by withering or drying. The most famous species of this group is banana of paradise (lat. Musa paradisiaca). It grows up to 7-9 meters in height. The thick, fleshy banana leaves are 2 meters long and green in color with brown spots. The ripe fruit reaches a size of up to 20 cm with a diameter of about 4-5 cm. Up to 300 banana berries can ripen on one plant, the pulp of which contains practically no seeds.

Almost all species are artificially cultivated. Among them, the following dessert varieties of bananas are widely used:

Banana variety Lady Finger or Lady Finger with a rather thin false trunk reaching a height of 7-7.5 m. These are small bananas, the length of which does not exceed 12 cm. The skin of this banana variety is light yellow with thin red-brown streaks. One bunch of bananas usually contains up to 20 fruits with creamy flesh. Widely cultivated in Australia and also common in Latin America.

up to 8-9 meters high and large fruits that have a thick peel yellow color. The size of a banana fruit can reach 27 cm and weigh more than 200 grams. Banana pulp has a delicate creamy consistency. The Gros Michel banana variety tolerates transportation well. Grows in Central America and Central Africa.

Banana variety Dwarf Cavendish(Dwarf Cavendish) - low (1.8-2.4 m) plant with wide leaves. The size of banana fruits varies from 15 to 25 cm. Their ripening is indicated by the bright yellow color of the peel with a small number of small brown spots. Grows in Western and Southern Africa, as well as on the Canary Islands.

Banana variety Ice Cream(IceCream, Cenizo, Krie)- a rather tall plant with a false trunk height of up to 4.5 meters and elongated fruits of a four or five-sided shape with dimensions up to 23 cm. The color of the peel of an unripe banana has a bluish-silver tint. As they mature, the color of the skin becomes pale yellow. Grown in Hawaii, the Philippines and Central America.

Banana variety Red Spanish is characterized by an unusual purple-red color not only of the false stem, leaf veins, but also of the peel of an unripe banana. As it ripens, the skin takes on an orange-yellow hue. The height of the plant can reach 8.5 meters with a trunk diameter at the base of about 45 cm. The size of the fruit is 12-17 cm. These red bananas grow in Spain.

Growing bananas. How do bananas grow?

The most comfortable conditions for growing bananas are daytime temperatures ranging from 26-35 o C and night temperatures ranging from 22 to 28 o C. When the ambient temperature drops to 10 o C, growth stops completely. No less influence during everything life cycle plants have a strictly defined humidity. Long dry periods can lead to the death of the plant. The best places to organize a banana plantation are fertile acidic soils rich in micro and macroelements.

To combat weeds that interfere with the normal growth of cultivated plants, not only herbicides are used, but also mulching the root zone with finely chopped fallen leaves. The use of geese, which readily eat juicy green weeds, but are absolutely indifferent to bananas, brings good results. To restore soil fertility, bananas are fertilized with mineral supplements. Depending on the condition of the soil, nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium fertilizers are used.

From the moment a banana is planted until the end of fruiting, it usually takes from 10 to 19 months. To prevent the plant from breaking due to the weight of the ripening fruits, supports are installed under the hands during banana ripening. Bananas are harvested when the crop is no more than 75% ripe. In this state, it is cooled and transported to the consumer. Ripe bananas stored in a special gas-air mixture at a temperature of no more than 14 o C retain their presentation and taste for 50 days.

Growing bananas at home.

Many types of bananas can be cultivated in a greenhouse or even an apartment. Low-growing banana varieties with variegated decorative leaves and beautiful flowers are best suited for home cultivation. For the plant to feel comfortable, it needs a special substrate consisting of a mixture of universal soil, perlite and finely chopped pine, fir or spruce bark.

Watering a banana.

Homemade banana is very demanding of moisture, but you should not over-water the plant. It is not recommended to place indoor bananas near central heating radiators or heating devices. To create the necessary humidity, the leaves and false trunk of the banana are sprayed with a spray bottle. For irrigation, settled water with a temperature of 25 o C is used. Watering must be carried out without allowing the substrate to dry out by more than 3 centimeters. During the winter months, banana watering is limited.

Fertilizer for indoor banana.

To provide homemade banana with microelements, root and leaf feeding is carried out. It is advisable to alternate the use of mineral and organic fertilizers. In any case, you should not feed the plant more than once every 2 weeks. Good influence The growth of bananas is influenced by root loosening of the soil, which provides free access of oxygen to the roots of the plant.

Propagation of bananas (vegetative and seeds).

Bananas reproduce:

seeds;
vegetative method.

It is worth noting that the same plant grown using different methods will have different characteristics.

Growing a homemade banana is quite easy. A banana grown from seeds is more viable, but the plant will take a long time to develop and produce inedible fruits. First, banana seeds need to be germinated. To do this, their surface is carefully treated with sandpaper or a nail file (a couple of scratches will be enough) so that the sprout can break through the hard shell. Be careful - there is no need to pierce the seed. Then the seeds are soaked in boiled water for several days until sprouts appear. The water must be changed every 6 hours.

The best container for planting bananas is a shallow pot with a diameter of about 10 centimeters. It is filled with drainage (a layer of expanded clay) 2 cm high and a 1:4 sand-peat mixture 4 cm high. To plant banana seeds, they need to be lightly pressed into the surface of the moistened soil, without covering them with soil. After this, cover the container with transparent film or glass and put it in a well-lit place away from direct sunlight. The temperature in the container should be between 27-30 degrees during the day and 25-27 degrees at night. As the substrate dries, it is moistened with a spray bottle. Some gardeners prefer not to remove the film from the container and moisten the substrate through the bottom of the container. If mold appears on the soil, it is necessary to remove it and water the substrate with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The first banana shoots appear after 2-3 months. From this moment, active growth of the plant begins, and after 10 days it can be transplanted into a larger pot. As the banana grows, it needs to be transplanted into a larger pot.

Vegetative propagation of bananas.

A faster and more reliable way to obtain a plant with edible fruits is vegetative propagation. After fruiting ends, the false stem of the banana dies off, and new buds begin to develop from the underground stem to replace it. A new “trunk” grows from one. At this time, you can remove the rhizome from the container and carefully separate the piece with the awakened bud from it. This banana sprout needs to be transplanted into a prepared pot. As the plant grows, it needs to be transplanted into a larger container. It has been established that by the time of fruiting the volume of the pot should be at least 50 liters.

Among the world's agricultural crops, banana ranks fourth in popularity after wheat, rice and corn. The total number of bananas eaten per year by the world's population exceeds 100 billion.
The islands of the Malay Archipelago are the birthplace of the banana. Residents of the archipelago have been growing this berry since ancient times and eating it along with fish.
The first mention of the plant as an edible fruit appeared between the 17th and 11th centuries BC. e. in the Indian written source Rig Veda.
In the collection Ramayana (Indian epic of the 14th century BC), one of the books describes the clothes of the royal family, which were woven from threads obtained from banana leaves.
The Goldfinger banana variety, grown in Australia, has fruits that resemble apples in structure and taste.
If you compare a banana and a potato, it turns out that the calorie content of a potato is one and a half times lower than that of a banana. And raw bananas are almost 5 times less caloric than dried ones. Among the products prepared from this fruit, banana juice is the lowest in calories.

Since childhood, we are accustomed to thinking that bananas grow on palm trees. But it turns out that banana is a herb. Of course, not the kind that grows on lawns, but a giant one, reaching a height of 5-6 to 15 m. Grass, that is! It is difficult for a resident of central Russia, accustomed to bending over to look for strawberries and lingonberries in the forest, to imagine a banana grass three to four meters high, on the stem of which hang three hundred “berries” weighing half a centner. In addition, the diameter of the “grass” is a good ten centimeters. At the top it ends in a spreading panicle of oblong leaves (which is why the European reaction is unambiguous: palm tree). Something like a one and a half meter long trunk hangs from the rosette of leaves from top to bottom. Bananas don’t even have a trunk (like trees) - they don’t even have a normal stem. Its stem is more like a tuber and is almost invisible above the ground. But there are huge leaves - fans, up to 6 m long and up to a meter wide.

250-300 small bananas are tied to the inflorescence. The trunk is correctly called a “bunch,” and what we buy and call clusters are actually clusters of four to seven fused fruits. A real banana bunch is a lot of clusters, closely adjacent to each other. Bananas have been known to mankind since ancient times.

Their homeland is called the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, mainly India and China. At least in these countries, bananas have long been considered sacred fruits that restore strength and nourish the mind. Some Indian pagodas that have survived from those times have roofs that exactly follow the shape of a banana: this is how it was respected. From India and China, banana culture spread to Asia Minor.

Later they began to be grown on the east and west coasts of Africa. In the 16th century, they were brought to the Canary Islands, Central and South America. The countries there are the last to have banana plantations in the world, and they are the best at growing and selling them: Ecuador, Colombia, Panama supply the whole of Europe with bananas. If before we ate - it’s clear why - exclusively Cuban varieties, now we are also full-fledged Europeans: most of all Ecuadorian fruits are on our market.

A few words about how bananas are harvested. As soon as the ovaries on the bunch begin to form, a plastic cover is urgently pulled over it so that, God forbid, nothing gets on the ripening fruits. So they grow under hoods, protected from tropical insect pests, for eleven weeks. They don’t reach full ripeness, but they should be taken to another continent!

At this stage the harvest time comes. Nothing has changed over the centuries: the same way our great-grandfathers and grandfathers collected the harvest is the same way they do it now. A worker, holding a long pole with a powerful cleaver screwed to the end, approaches the trunk and, deftly baling it high, cuts off a huge bunch. And how it will rustle down... (I see that our people, who give the weekend to six hundred square meters, have already shuddered: if an apple or a pear falls, it’s a pity that it will remain! And here fifty kilograms of banana tenderness crash to the ground?!)

So they were scared in vain - centuries-old experience teaches: there is no better landing place for the bunch than the shoulders and back of the second worker, specially standing nearby. Having cheerfully depreciated, he drags the harvest to the warehouse on himself. There, the bunches will be disassembled into small parts, thrown into tanks with a special liquid for greater disinfection and long-term preservation, and then caught, dried, wrapped in plastic, packed in branded boxes, and they will travel by sea, rarely by plane, to other countries. And the “trunk” from which the bunch was cut is no longer alive. Dries up.

Grass is grass. But from the rhizome, new “blades of grass” are already climbing out of the ground into the light of God. True, they need to grow to maturity whole year. And they will also bring only one bunch each, but the process of renewal on the plantations is continuous. How continuous the harvest is in a warm climate: some bunches are cut, others are ripening, others are setting... In a word, long live the eternal tropical summer! And may bananas not disappear on our table!

At night, banana flowers are visited by bats, and during the day they are visited by numerous insects, sunbirds and squirrel-like animals - tupayas, which are distant relatives of monkeys. Bananas generously treat all visitors with nectar. After pollination, the covering leaves fall off and fruits begin to set in place of the flowers. There are so many lateral inflorescences on one peduncle that when the last covering leaves begin to open at its end, the fruits at the base are already ripe.

The yellow, crescent-shaped fruit of the banana bears little resemblance to a berry*, but from a botanist's point of view, a banana is a berry with a leathery shell and sweet pulp, in which numerous seeds are embedded (if you cut a banana, you can see small black dots inside).

It must be said that not all types of bananas have the same fruits that we can buy in our markets and stores. Some fruits are shorter, some are oval or almost round, some are longer and thinner. When ripe, the peel sometimes turns red rather than yellow. But such bananas are not delivered to us - they do not tolerate transportation well.

After fruiting, the entire huge above-ground part of the plant dies off, but from the base of the false stem, underground shoots have already begun to grow, which will give rise to new false stems. This is how bananas reproduce vegetatively.

Green bananas have the consistency of potatoes, but they taste very astringent and resinous—completely inedible. Bananas are harvested by completely cutting down a thick grassy trunk, with one blow of a sickle - the second time the same shoot (what is incorrectly called a palm tree in Russia) does not bear fruit. Then the bunch is cut off from the trunk and left to ripen. A few days after harvesting, green bananas ripen and become our usual yellow. The sale of green bananas is widespread.

The banana came to us from Malaysia, where it has been grown for 10 thousand years. Wild bananas, which can still be found in Southeast Asia, contain large, hard seeds and very little pulp. They are pollinated by bats.

Your supermarket banana is a cultivar chosen by planters for its fleshy flesh and lack of seeds. Cultivation produced a plant that is sweet, tasty, but sterile: such a banana is not able to reproduce without human help.

Most banana plants have not had “sex” for 10 thousand years. Almost every banana that we eat with such pleasure is propagated by hand: from the shoot of an already existing plant, whose genetic fund has not been updated for 100 centuries. As a result, bananas are extremely susceptible to various types of diseases. Many of its species have already fallen victim to fungal infections such as “black sigatoka” and “Panama disease”, which are very resistant to fungicides. And if a genetically modified variety is not developed soon, we may forget about bananas forever.

The problem, by the way, is very serious. Bananas are the world's most profitable export crop. The industry is worth $12 billion a year and supports 400 million people, many of whom live below the poverty line.

Most bananas come from hot countries, but, paradoxically, Iceland is Europe's largest banana producer. The bananas are grown in spacious greenhouses heated by geothermal waters, just two degrees south of the Arctic Circle. Fyffe's, the multinational importing company that purchases the entire banana harvest from Belize each year, is Irish.

For the same weight, dried bananas contain 5 times more calories compared to fresh ones. India produces more bananas than any other country in the world. Sprinter Linford Christie is a gold medalist Olympic Games- before competitions or training, includes fried plantain in your diet.

In East Africa, bananas are fermented and beer is made from them.

Banana fruits are consumed raw, fried, or boiled. Bananas are used to prepare soups, baked goods, desserts, and main courses. But special varieties of bananas are fried and boiled. The bananas that we eat were developed by crossing different types of bananas. Bananas are not only eaten. Banana peels are used to make black dye; leaves are used for baking, instead of foil and baking paper; light buildings and rafts are made from stems; The leaves are used to make packaging.

Bananas are also widely used in medicine. The fruits help in the fight against high blood pressure, anemia, heartburn, and depression. Banana flowers are used to treat stomach ulcers, dysentery, bronchitis, and diabetes. They are brewed and drunk like tea. Young banana leaves, like our plantain, heal burns very well.

Banana is a plant belonging to the banana family. His Southeast Asia is considered its homeland. What family do bananas belong to? Many people are interested in this question and you are surprised, but there is a separate banana family, which is divided into 4 main types:

Ornamental plants. Representatives of this type bloom quite rarely, and their fruits are considered inedible.
Technical. They are a source of valuable fiber.
Feed. They are mealy bananas that contain a lot of starch. Flour is made from such plants.
Fruit. These bananas can be consumed either raw or cooked.

The trunk of a banana plant is formed from large stems of leaves, which die off after reaching a certain size. When about 43-45 leaves are formed, the banana begins to bloom. This period is noted for its beautiful tiered flowering. At the bottom of the plant there are several rows of flowers of the female type, then bisexual flowers are formed, and at the very top there are small flowers of the male type. When pollination stops, the uppermost elements fall off and fruits begin to form.

Banana fruits are produced only from the female flowers of the plant. They are also formed in tiers.

Originally a fruit (although it's technically a berry) is green. As it ripens, it becomes yellow, sometimes it can turn into, let us warn you right away, this does not mean that it is unsuitable for consumption, it is just a different variety of plant.

At the end of the fruiting period, the visible part of the plant dies. And on next year the entire growth cycle repeats itself. Many types of banana can be successfully grown at home.

There are special, specially bred varieties that are less demanding of care and much more resistant to diseases. These include the Kiev dwarf or other dwarf species. Such bananas reach no more than 1.5 m in height, which is very convenient when grown indoors.

Types of Banana Tree

Modern agriculture (mainly in the tropical zone) actively cultivates the species Musa paradisiaca (paradise banana). In more northern latitudes the Japanese banana, or Musa basjoo, grows.

At home, as a rule, the following varieties are grown: Musa velutina, Musa violacea, Musa ornata, Musa Cavendish Dwarf, etc. These species are distinguished by their small growth and low maintenance requirements.

Motherland

So where do bananas grow in Africa? It is believed that this plant first appeared in Southeast Asia. And from there it spread throughout the tropical part of the planet. According to scientists, the banana came to America even before Columbus appeared on this land. Although how the plant ended up in this area is still unknown.

About a thousand years ago, this crop already grew in Malaysia, India, Brazil and Indonesia. The banana is considered one of the first plants to be cultivated. What about Africa? Do bananas grow on this continent? This plant is present mainly in the humid tropical part of West Africa.

It is worth remembering that bananas do not grow in areas located above a thousand meters above sea level. Therefore, they can only be found in a certain part of Africa.

Photo

In this section you can visually familiarize yourself with a banana, a photo of its fruit and flower, and what a seedling looks like at home.

Home care

Bananas must be cultivated in bright, spacious rooms, the windows of which face either the south, or the southeast or southwest. The pot with the plant should be placed fairly close to the window, but in a place where there are no drafts. In the summer, the banana needs to be protected from too bright sun, and in the winter it needs to be provided with additional lighting.

Water the plant abundantly, but quite rarely. It is important that the top of the soil has time to dry a couple of centimeters deep. Bananas also respond positively to spraying.

This procedure is carried out every day in the summer, and once a week in the winter. It's worth remembering that Under no circumstances should the soil be allowed to rot. It is important to ensure that water can flow freely through the holes in the drainage.

Also, for better banana growth, you should fertilize. In summer they are held weekly, in winter – once a month.

Banana flowering occurs after 15-17 large full leaves are formed. If the plant is cared for well, flowering occurs all year round, and fruits are also formed.

Bananas are propagated either by root suckers or seeds. The suckers need to be planted a little deeper than they were originally. Thanks to this, additional roots are formed.

It is equally important that the pot is suitable in size for the size of the seedling, since in excessively large containers the soil may turn sour. Before planting the seeds, they must be soaked in warm water for a day so that the shell softens. Shoots usually appear 1-3 months after planting.

However this the fetus may also be harmful. It should not be used by people who have the following diseases: coronary heart disease, diabetes, thrombophlebitis, increased blood clotting, etc.

Since the calorie content of this product is quite high, its consumption should be limited to people who are overweight.

Banana is an amazing plant that bears tasty and healthy fruits. When growing at home, you should remember that bananas are demanding of light, humidity and heat. It is necessary to create the most comfortable conditions for the plant, and then it will delight you with flowers and fruits all year round.