Banana plants, often mistaken for trees, are the world’s largest herbaceous flowering plants. Their substantial pseudostems, formed by overlapping leaf bases, give them a tree-like appearance despite lacking woody trunks. These versatile plants are a primary food source for millions and offer aesthetic appeal in diverse landscapes. Various types of bananas exist, from those cultivated for fruit to varieties cherished for their ornamental qualities.
How Bananas Are Classified
Banana plants belong to the Musaceae family, primarily within two genera: Musa and Ensete. The Musa genus includes most cultivated edible bananas and plantains, known for their suckering growth. Ensete plants typically do not produce suckers, often dying after a single fruiting cycle, and are grown for ornamental purposes or as a regional food source.
Edible bananas are also classified by a genomic system, using ‘A’ for Musa acuminata and ‘B’ for Musa balbisiana to denote genetic lineage and composition (e.g., AAA, AAB, ABB). Beyond this, bananas are practically classified as “dessert bananas” or “cooking bananas.” Dessert bananas are sweet and eaten raw when ripe. Cooking bananas, often called plantains, remain starchy and require cooking.
Popular Edible Banana Types
The Cavendish banana, an AAA genomic group member, is the most globally recognized and commercially significant dessert banana. Its green peel turns bright yellow with ripening, often developing small brown sugar spots. Cavendish bananas have a mild, sweet flavor and creamy texture, making them ideal for fresh consumption or use in baking.
Plantains, a broad category of cooking bananas, are fundamental to diets in many tropical regions. They are starchier and less sweet than dessert bananas, requiring cooking. Plantains are commonly boiled, fried, or grilled while green and firm, serving as a savory meal accompaniment. They belong to various genomic groups, including AAB and ABB.
The Lady Finger banana, also known as Pome, is another appreciated dessert variety. Smaller than Cavendish, typically four to five inches long, Lady Finger bananas offer a notably sweet flavor and creamy texture, popular for fresh eating or as a sweet addition to dishes.
Less Common Edible Banana Types
Red bananas, also called Red Cuban or Red Dacca, have deep reddish-purple skin when ripe, starting greenish. They are generally smaller and thicker than common yellow varieties. Their creamy, often pinkish flesh offers a sweet flavor with a subtle hint of raspberry, enjoyable fresh, in smoothies, or baked goods.
The Blue Java banana, or “Ice Cream banana,” is known for its unique flavor. Its unripe skin is blue-green, turning pale yellow as it ripens. The creamy, white flesh tastes like vanilla custard or ice cream. This variety is typically larger and thicker than standard dessert bananas, often enjoyed fresh or blended into desserts.
Manzano bananas, or Apple bananas, are small, chubby fruits from Central and South America. Their thin skin turns deep yellow with black spots when ripe. The creamy flesh has a rich, sweet flavor with distinct apple or strawberry notes, commonly eaten fresh or used in desserts and smoothies.
Ornamental Banana Types
The Japanese Fiber Banana (Musa basjoo) is a popular ornamental species, cultivated for its lush, tropical foliage. This hardy plant produces large, paddle-shaped leaves up to ten feet long, creating a dramatic visual impact. While it may produce small, inedible fruits, its appeal lies in rapid growth and ability to add exotic flair to gardens, even in cooler climates where its pseudostem may die back in winter.
The Abyssinian Banana (Ensete ventricosum), often called the False Banana, is another striking ornamental. This massive herbaceous plant forms a stout, non-woody pseudostem and boasts enormous, banana-like leaves, often with a prominent reddish midrib. Although it produces inedible, seedy fruits, its impressive size and fountain-like leaf display make it a favored landscaping specimen. Unlike Musa species, Ensete ventricosum does not produce suckers and is monocarpic, meaning the main plant dies after flowering and fruiting.