Beyond the common yellow Cavendish, purple bananas offer unique characteristics and a striking appearance. These intriguing fruits are gaining attention for their vibrant color, flavor, and potential health benefits. They highlight the rich biodiversity within the Musa genus.
Purple Banana Varieties and Their Traits
Several banana cultivars exhibit purple hues. The ‘Bordelon’ banana (Musa ‘Bordelon’) is primarily ornamental, producing small, inedible, seeded fruit. This plant can reach 10-15 feet, featuring deep green leaves with maroon splotches and reddish-purple undersides.
The ‘Pisang Raja Udang’, also known as ‘Red Dacca’ or ‘Morado’, has reddish-purple skin and creamy to light pink flesh. It offers a creamy texture and a flavor sometimes reminiscent of raspberry or a more concentrated banana taste. The ‘Royal Purple Banana’ (Musa ornata) is another ornamental variety, producing bright pinkish-purple bananas and growing 5-9 feet tall.
Nutritional Profile and Health Advantages
Purple bananas offer various nutritional components, including vitamins and minerals. They are a source of Vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, and dietary fiber.
A distinguishing feature is their higher concentration of anthocyanins, the plant pigments responsible for their vibrant purple coloration. These compounds function as antioxidants, protecting the body’s cells from damage. Anthocyanins also contribute to anti-inflammatory effects and support heart health.
Culinary Applications and Consumption
Purple bananas can be enjoyed in various culinary applications. Many edible purple banana types are best consumed when fully ripe, indicated by a deep, consistent color. For varieties like the ‘Red Dacca’, the flesh offers a creamy texture and a sweet flavor, sometimes with notes of raspberry. These can be eaten fresh as a snack, added to fruit salads, or used as a topping for desserts like ice cream.
Their soft texture and natural sweetness make them suitable for smoothies, where they can add a unique flavor and vibrant color. Overripe purple bananas, like other banana types, can be incorporated into baked goods such as banana bread, muffins, or pancakes, contributing moisture and natural sweetness.
Sourcing and Growing Insights
Purple bananas are typically cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions, thriving in warm, humid climates with consistent rainfall. Countries in Southeast Asia, such as Bangladesh, Burma, and India, are common areas for their growth. While not as widely available as yellow Cavendish bananas in mainstream grocery stores, they can sometimes be found in specialty markets, ethnic food stores, or through online exotic fruit purveyors.
For those interested in growing them, purple banana plants generally prefer well-drained, rich organic soil and ample sunlight, ideally 80-100% direct sun exposure. They flourish in USDA hardiness zones 8-11, though some varieties may tolerate zone 7. In cooler climates, they can be grown in containers and brought indoors during colder months to protect them from frost, as temperatures below 60°F can slow growth and frost can cause die-back. Consistent watering is necessary to keep the soil evenly moist without becoming waterlogged.