Musa acuminata (AAA Group) Dwarf Cavendish is a banana cultivar from China and Vietnam and nowadays the most sold dessert banana in the world. Like most people, we thought that the dark purple blossom is the flower, as it`s even sold as a vegetable, called banana flower.

We`ve been quite amazed as our banana plant, which we planted in spring last year started to flower. First we could see the dark purple blossom, called banana heart, but then the real banana flowers opened successively. They appear in so called tiers with about 20 flowers, which open simultaneously. The female banana flowers can develop into fruits, if pollinated. Each pseudostem produces just one banana heart and is mostly cut away while the fruits are harvested. Bananas (Musa) belong to the Musaceae family in the order Zingiberales and are close relatives to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), the Heliconia family (Heliconiaceae), the Canna family (Cannaceae), the Costus family (Costaceae), the Strelitzia family (Strelitziaceae) and a few others. Most banana plants are very temperature sensitive.

They`re best cultivated at temperatures from 16° - 34° C. If temperatures drop below 16° C for a longer period, bananas slow their growth significantly. At temperatures below 10° C or above 34° C banana plants stop growing. Optimal growth temperature: 26 - 28°C, optimal flowering and fruit ripening temperature: 29 - 31°C.
Musa acuminata (AAA Group) Dwarf Cavendish reach heights of about 3 meters, inflorescences get lengths up to about 1 meter and carry up to about 90 banana fingers (fruits).

Flower Photography © Orchids Flowers.com
Image: Male Banana Flowers (Dwarf Cavendish)

Flower Photography © Orchids Flowers.com
Image: Banana Heart (Dwarf Cavendish)

Flower Photography © Orchids Flowers.com
Image: Female Banana Flowers (Dwarf Cavendish)