The biggest banana in the world is the largest plant in the banana family, a wild species known as Musa ingens. Often called the Giant Highland Banana, this enormous plant holds the record as the largest non-woody, or herbaceous, plant on Earth. Its sheer size often leads to confusion, as its fruit is not the massive specimen many imagine, but the plant itself is a botanical giant. This article explores the unique characteristics that make this species the undisputed heavyweight of the Musaceae family.
The World’s Largest Banana Species
The Giant Highland Banana belongs to the genus Musa, which includes all bananas and plantains. It is scientifically classified in its own section, Ingentimusa. This designation reflects its unique genetic makeup and distinct characteristics compared to the common edible bananas found in grocery stores. Unlike commercial varieties such as the Cavendish, Musa ingens is a wild species with a chromosome count of \(2n=14\).
This particular genetic structure means the species does not readily cross-breed with most other banana groups. Its significance extends beyond its family, as it is acknowledged globally as the largest herbaceous plant in existence. Herbaceous plants lack the woody stem tissue of trees, meaning this towering giant achieves its size without the structural support of wood.
Anatomy and Scale of the Giant
The immense scale of Musa ingens is best appreciated through its physical measurements, which dwarf all other members of the banana family. The plant’s apparent trunk, called a pseudostem, is a tightly bundled column of leaf sheaths that can reach heights of 15 meters (nearly 50 feet). The entire plant, including its leaves, can sometimes reach a total height of 20 meters (66 feet) or more.
The pseudostem achieves a massive circumference, sometimes measuring up to two meters (6.5 feet) around, or nearly one meter in diameter at its base. This false trunk must be incredibly robust to support the weight of the plant and its enormous foliage. The leaves themselves are also record-breaking, with individual blades growing up to five meters (16 feet) long and one meter (39 inches) wide. To visualize this size, a single leaf could easily cover a small car.
Habitat and Discovery
This colossal plant is native exclusively to the remote, high-altitude tropical montane forests of New Guinea, primarily in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia’s West Papua province. It thrives at elevations between 1,200 and 1,800 meters (4,000 to 6,000 feet) above sea level. These conditions include high moisture levels, warm days, and cooler nights, which the species requires to flourish.
The plant’s preference for this remote, rugged highland habitat is a major reason it remained largely unknown to Western science until its formal classification occurred in 1960. Archaeological evidence suggests that Musa ingens was present in the New Guinea highlands as far back as 10,000 years ago, indicating a deep history within its native ecosystem. Its specialized habitat requirements make it intolerant of the high temperatures found in typical tropical lowland banana-growing regions.
Fruit Characteristics and Edibility
The fruit of the world’s largest banana plant is surprisingly modest in size compared to the plant itself, though still substantial. The fruit cluster, or bunch, can weigh up to 60 kilograms (132 pounds) and contain around 300 individual fruits. Each fruit is oblong and measures about 18 centimeters (seven inches) in length, which is comparable to a common commercial banana.
A significant difference is that the fruit is filled with numerous large, hard, blackish-brown seeds, making it impractical for raw consumption. While the yellowish pulp surrounding the seeds is not palatable when raw, it is considered edible and even delicious after being cooked. Some accounts describe the cooked flavor as a mix of sweet banana and butternut squash, suggesting it is used more like a starchy vegetable, or plantain.