In the botanical sense, the banana tree is a perennial. It impresses with a height of 6 to 9 meters. The leaves grow up to 6 meters long. Find out more about the flowering, origin and use of the Musa.
history and origin
The banana is one of the oldest cultivated plants on earth. Historians recorded its cultivation as early as the prehistoric era. During the first century AD it was brought to Africa by Arabs.
Consequently, the term "banana" has its roots in Arabic. In the German translation, the word means "finger". The botanist Carl von Linné named it after the Italian doctor Antonius Musa for the first time.
In the 15th century, the Musa spread to South America, Europe and the Canary Islands with the Portuguese.
flowers and fruits
The axis of the enchanting banana flowers reaches a length of up to one meter. Yellowish flowers develop on it. Hummingbirds, flying foxes, bats or hawk moths pollinate these flowers.
It takes about 14 to 18 months from flowering to fruiting. The ripening of the fruits takes an average of 3 months in the (sub)tropical climate. The wild banana impresses with large seeds. In contrast, the cultivated plant produces relatively large fruits without seeds.
use
The Musa is divided into three different varieties:
- fruit banana (dessert banana)
- plantain (plantain)
- Textile banana (Musa textilis)
The yellow fruit banana is very common in this country with its wholesome, sweet taste. In contrast, the plantain is an important part of the daily menu, especially in the countries where it is grown. The resistant fibers of the textile banana are still an important component for the production of ropes and paper.
Economical meaning
In world trade, the banana is positioned as an elementary export good, right behind corn, wheat and sugar. The most important export countries are in Central and South America. Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama and Ecuador come first.
From there they are shipped to Europe shortly before maturing. In Germany, the annual per capita consumption is 18 kilograms.
tips and tricks
The banana enriches the Central European diet in many ways. As fresh fruit, dried or frozen, they delight all generations.
FT