Do Bananas Grow on Trees or Bushes?

Do Bananas Grow on Trees or Bushes? Know all the details and more on where this tropical fruit comes from and its culinary uses!

Growing up to 20-30 feet in height, banana creates quite an appealing visual in the garden. But Do Bananas Grow on Trees or Bushes? On what exactly these popular fruits grow? Find out!

Find out if the banana is a herb or fruit here. 

 Do Bananas Grow on Trees?

Banana grows on the largest herbaceous flowering plants in the world, hence it doesn’t grow on trees. Actually, banana trees are plants because when you’ll look closely at the trunk, you can see they do not contain any woody tissues. The plant does not have a ‘trunk’ but ‘pseudostems,’ made up of tightly packed leaves.

Banana plants are categorized as arborescent (tree-like) perennial herbs. The fruit produced by this plant is a berry, as it contains pulp and seeds. It is classified as ‘epigynous berry.’

Check out our article on some of the best varieties of bananas here

Do Bananas Grow on Bushes?

Before answering the question–“Do bananas grow on bushes?” Let’s know about what are shrubs or bushes? A shrub is any woody plant that can grow up to 8-12 feet tall. When it develops many branches and becomes dense, it is then called a bush. Stems on these shrubs are thin and less than 2-3 inches diameter though the main trunk can be thicker.

The first reason that bananas do not grow on bushes because they have pseudostems, instead of a woody trunk, that a shrub has. The stem of banana grows from the middle of the pseudostem. Bananas also have a different root system from shrubs, as they grow from underground rhizomes that spread like running grasses.

Another reason is the height of the banana plant, which is too high and cannot fit in the criteria of shrubs. However, dwarf varieties can grow up to 5-6 feet tall, whereas the standard variety can go up to 20-30 feet high. Thus, bananas do not grow on bushes, and the plant is a herbaceous perennial.

Culinary Uses of Banana

Banana is a super versatile fruit. Every part of this tropical berry is a powerhouse of nutrients and you can use it in various ways. Though it is most relished in raw form with innumerable benefits, you can use the fruit, flower, stem, and leaves to make yummy cuisines.

• Banana flowers are popular in some Asian cuisines. You can eat them raw or use in salads, soups, or curries. The nutritious flowers are starchy and taste bitter. Soaking them in lemon juice, before cooking, takes out the bitterness.
• Banana Stems are edible and rich in fiber. They are famous in Indian cuisines and for medicinal purposes as well.
• Banana Leaves adds a great taste to grilled and baked fish recipes. You can also use the leaves as a serving dish and they’re quite popular in the southern part of India. Eating on banana leaves is not just a tradition but has several health benefits too. The leaves are rich in polyphenols, which are natural antioxidants. Also, using them as a platter for serving is hygienic and economical.
• Banana fruit tastes best when ripe. You can use it to make pancakes, muffins, and other dessert recipes.

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