Banana

The banana plant is a tropical plant in the Musaceae family and the world’s largest herb. It grows 8 to 30 feet tall, depending on the variety. The fibrous leaves look like drooping feathers ranging 6-10 feet long and 1-2 feet wide. Musa acuminata is grown for it's edible fruit and M. coccinea, M. ornata, Musella lasiocarpus and Ensete ventricosum for their foliage and flowers. The banana plant grows primarily in hot, damp climates and thrive in rich, sandy loam soil that has good drainage.

History of the Banana

The true origin of the banana is found in Malaysia. From there the plant traveled to India where it is mentioned in 6^th century writings. In 650 B. C. the banana was taken into Africa with Islamic warriors. These bananas were about as long as a man’s finger, and  called "banan", which is Arabic for finger. The banana then passed  from Guinea on the West coast of Africa in 1402  to the Canary Islands with Portuguese sailors where banana plantations began to flourished. In 1516 they began their journey westward with a Franciscan monk to the Caribbean and Central America and 350 years later arrived in America. In 1876 the banana was introduced in the United States at a Declaration of Independence celebration in Pennsylvania wrapped in tin foil and sold for 10 cent each..