Scientific name: Musa velutina
Common name: Royal Purple Banana, Self-Peeling Banana, Hairy Banana, Baby Pink Banana
Family: Musaceae
Category: Ornamental banana
Origin: India and Southeast Asia
Photo taken at: Floria 2010.
“Musa velutina - The Self-Peeling Hairy Pink Banana”, a copyrighted post, was written for My Nice Garden blog by Autumn Belle @ http://www.mynicegarden.com/ on April 29th, 2011.
'Velutina' is a Latin word meaning 'velvety'. The bloom and fruits are covered with tiny hairs which gives it a velvet texture. Unlike the other ornamental bananas that bear green to yellow fruits, the fruits of the Musa velutina are strikingly special in that they are pinkish purple in colour. When ripe, they self-peel and open to reveal the white banana flesh underneath. The bunch of fruits looks like another beautiful flower. The plant can reach a height of 2 m.
very interesting. I hve not seen this one. It must be a favourite with the birds!
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful plant! I may have asked this before, but are the ornamental bananas edible?
ReplyDeleteLooks like you haven't gotten over bananas yet. How come I don't see any hairs when they are called Hairy Bananas? Is it because it is still young?
ReplyDeleteI liked this post very much.
ReplyDeletePlease come see some Hawaii bananas
at http://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/2011/02/tasty-nana.html
Aloha!
I never seen this before too! Is the banana edible?
ReplyDeleteLooks unique. Self-peeling! Interesting...
ReplyDeleteI love coming to your blog and seeing and reading about tropical plants that I have never saw before. They are always so interesting to look at.
ReplyDeleteLovely! The pink stalk is so striking against the greenery.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen this plant, is so special. Very interesting plant ! So unusual and lovely !
ReplyDeleteStill going bananas over bananas I see. This one is special...self-peeling! What happens to the fruit? Self-goreng pisang?
ReplyDeleteCome join my new meme called MISSION QUITE POSSIBLE on travel-i-tales, AB. Should be right up your alley.
Rosie
This banana semms to have less foliage compare with other variety.
ReplyDeleteMy dear friends, thank you very much for the visit and nice comments. My sincere apologies for my delay in commenting and blog visits.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your questions
1)Plant Postings and Malar -ornamental bananas are grown for asthetic value and they hardly produce a fruit that is big/good enough to be eaten.
2)Rosie, self peeling in this case means that the purple coloured fruits will peel-off its banana skin revealing the fruits/flesh inside. I'm sorry I only have 1 photo, hence it is not very clear. You can google and view other images.