Bananas

There are more than 1,000 banana varieties in the world.  Banana fruits are classified as berries.  A banana plant’s ‘trunk’ is known as a pseudostem and is made from tightly packed layers of leaf-bases. Its oblong leaves are arranged spirally. It has yellow to white flowers that grow in clusters on a stem - a floral structure known as an inflorescence. The inflorescence appears at the top of the pseudostem. Female flowers grow towards the base of the inflorescence, whilst the male flowers are located at the tip. The banana plant will create fruits without the need for pollination.  Its fruits grow in bunches of 10-20 and are first green and then change colors (often yellow) when fully ripe. The banana’s pseudostem is monocarpic, which means it will die down once it has flowered and fruited. Offset shoots will take over from the pseudostem and grow speedily to reach their full height and in turn flower and fruit.