The banana plant is a giant herbaceous perennial, not a tree, and its fruit is technically a berry growing on a pseudostem. For Florida growers, knowing precisely when to harvest is the most important factor in achieving high-quality, flavorful fruit. Unlike many crops, bananas must be picked while still green and allowed to ripen off the plant. If left on the stem to yellow, the fruit often splits, attracts pests, and develops a poor, mealy texture. Successfully timing the harvest requires understanding the plant’s unique growth rhythm and relying on specific visual cues rather than a fixed calendar date.
The Florida Banana Growing Cycle
Fruit development begins when the large, reddish-purple flower stalk, often called the “bell,” emerges from the top of the pseudostem. From the moment the flower appears, the time required for the resulting fruit to mature typically spans about four to six months. This wide variation is directly tied to the highly variable climate conditions across Florida.
Banana growth depends on consistent warmth, with optimal development occurring between 84°F and 86°F. When temperatures drop below 60°F, growth slows substantially, and below 50°F, it stops altogether. If a flower stalk emerges in late fall or early winter, the fruit develops much slower, extending maturation and increasing the risk of cold damage. This sensitivity means relying solely on a fixed number of days after flowering is unreliable, making regular visual inspection necessary.
Key Visual Indicators for Harvesting
The most reliable indicator that a banana bunch is ready for harvest is the distinct change in the shape of the individual fruit, known as “finger fullness.” When immature, bananas have sharp, distinct angles, appearing almost triangular in cross-section. The fruit is ready to be cut when these angles have rounded out, and the sides of the banana finger have become plump and filled out.
The condition of the shriveled flower remnants, or perianth, at the tip of each banana is another sign. When the fruit is mature, these dried tips become brittle and can be easily rubbed off with a gentle touch. This readiness usually starts with the “hands” at the top of the bunch, which develop first, and progresses downward.
A helpful, though less definitive, sign is a subtle change in the fruit’s overall color. The deep, dark green of an immature banana will lighten slightly to a pale or yellowish-green hue as the starches maximize within the fruit. These visual changes signal that the starches have fully developed and the fruit is at approximately 75% maturity. This is the ideal stage for harvest to ensure peak flavor once ripened indoors, and harvesting green prevents the fruit from splitting on the plant and significantly reduces losses to pests.
Proper Cutting Technique and Post-Harvest Ripening
Once the visual indicators confirm the bunch is ready, the entire stalk, or “rack,” is harvested at once, since the hands mature closely together. Because a fully loaded bunch can weigh over fifty pounds, growers often partially cut the pseudostem several feet below the bunch, allowing the stalk to bend slowly. This action brings the heavy fruit down to a manageable height without crashing, allowing for a final clean cut of the stem about six to nine inches above the top hand.
The cut stem immediately weeps a sticky, brown sap that can permanently stain clothing, so caution is advised when handling the bunch. Once safely down, the bunch should be moved indoors to a cool, shaded location, protecting the fruit from direct sun and low temperatures. To begin the ripening process, the large bunch can be separated into smaller “hands” using a clean, sharp knife.
The most effective method for indoor ripening is to hang the hands or place them in a loosely closed paper bag. To accelerate the process, an ethylene-producing fruit, such as an apple or a tomato, can be placed inside the bag with the bananas. For successful ripening, the fruit must be kept in an area where temperatures consistently remain above 58°F. Temperatures below this threshold cause chilling damage, resulting in a dull, grayish skin color and a failure to ripen properly.