So make the soil fertile by adding composted organic matter. They're a completely edible delicacy and can be found fresh at roadside stands and farmers markets, wherever bananas are grown, but are especially prevalent in Asia. Like bananas themselves, the banana flower leaves will turn brown or black if left to sit exposed to air for any length of time, so don't peel off that outer layer until you're ready to use them. Banana flowers, like greens or any other delicate produce, will cook quickly and lose quite a bit of volume in the process. The female flowers, which do not require fertilization to become fruit, grow farther up the stem from the male flowers. They're commonly used in salads, curries, and soups. These reddish-purple, teardrop-shaped leaves can weigh in at up to a pound. Many plants have either male or female flowers; some have both. The first clusters are female flowers, which develop into clusters of fruits called hands. Instead, it's more about adding a subtly sweet, floral tropical taste. You can also steam them, peel them apart like artichokes, and serve them with dips. Suited to USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11, the banana tree benefits … The youngest, freshest specimens can be chopped and used in salads. Sometimes you may be able to purchase them wrapped in plastic, which helps retain both the color and moisture in the leaves. When shopping or otherwise presented with the opportunity to procure some flowers, choose ones that feel firm and whose leaves are tightly packed. Male flowers – although they produce pollen, it may be sterile. Banana flowers don't so much taste like a banana as like something that will grow into a banana. The flowers themselves are covered with several thick, fleshy bracts that look like large petals. The outer bracts can be red, lavender or purple, and some are much darker, being maroon to almost black. Hermaphrodite flowers – these have both male and female characteristics but do not develop fruit or produce pollen. Nisa and Ulli Maier Photography / Getty Images. Banana flowers can also be used in soups or sliced and added to stir-fries. In areas where bananas grow, banana flowers are sold at farmers' markets, road stands, and some grocery stores. Banana blossom-an understated food with high functional benefits. You can cut off the flower stalk below the fruit if desired. When to Cut the Flower From a Banana Plant Cold Hardiness and Flowering. Sun Exposure: Full sun: Soil Type: Rich, well-drained soil. They're soft but offer a little bit of a crunch. Fruit matures in about four to six months. Banana tree flowers and produce fruit if the roots remain damp throughout the year. The intermediary leaves, which are pale pink in color, are also edible, too, and should be soaked as well. If you do buy them frozen, they work well in cooked preparations where you want their flavor, but won't defrost well into for use in a salad or otherwise serve raw. Soil pH: Acidic; 5.5 to 6.5: Harvest Time: Summer: Flower Color They have a similar aromatic profile, but it's much more delicate and much less banana-like when still in the blossom form. The Flowers and Fruit. Plantains, which are grown in many southern and southwestern states, are edible bananas that must be cooked before eating. They are thick—even waxy—and a deep dark green. However, banana have three different types: The banana flower is often quite spectacular. In order to get to the good stuff on the inside, it requires some work. Put the flowers in a bowl of water and add several tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar (about 1 tablespoon for every 2 cups of water) to help mitigate the bitterness. In some countries the bracts are used as eating or serving dishes, but otherwise have no use. If your climate allows, planting your own banana tree is a great way to create a predictable supply of banana flowers—and bananas, too. The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. The bracts have vertical ridges that may be lighter-colored or have what looks like a powdery coating. Banana leaves are heartier, protective, and more widely available. Banana, plantain tree: Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial flowering plant: Mature Size: Wide range of sizes: 'Truly Tiny' cultivar is only about 1.5 feet tall, while 'Cuban Red' can be up to 25 feet tall. Others may set flowers but not fruit, and some don't flower at all. Watering. Try it added to spinach salads, with a simple dressing and topped with chopped macadamia nuts. 2017;9(01):44516-44519. An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients. A banana flower blossom. Banana flowers (aka banana blossoms) are exactly what their name suggests: the blossoms from a banana tree. The true stem grows inside the pseudostem and the part from which flowers develop – the inflorescence – emerges from the top of the pseudostem. The actual flowers underneath the bracts are usually white to ivory in color, with yellow ruffled tips. If you aren't going to use the flowers right away, they will remain fresh if stored in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to three days. The banana flower, often called banana blossom, is a pendulum that forms below the last bunch of unripe bananas. The centre of the flower has a whiter colour, its taste is bitter and the texture is very similar to that of a palm heart and bamboo shoots. They're commonly used in salads, curries, and soups. Banana flowers get in the way of developing fruit. Its sizable bracts, or leaves, snugly enclose delicate, sweetly scented male flowers. 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