Cliff banana
Ensete superbum

Family: Musaceae

What it is like

A banana like plant. It is a large herb. It has a false stem 4 m tall. The leaves are 3.3 m long by 1 m wide. The fruit spikes are 1.3 m long. They droop. The bracts are red and round. There are 20-30 flowers on a spike. The fruit are oblong and 3 sided berries. They are 7 cm long. The seeds are a flattened round shape.

There are 10 Ensete species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on steep slopes of hills in the Pune district in India. It can be on limestone cliffs.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, India (country/location of origin), Indonesia, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Singapore

How it is used for food

The sprouting buds are used as a vegetable. The young fruits are pickled. They are also cooked as a vegetable. The flowering stalk is eaten as a vegetable. The root, flower stalk without leaves and rolled up leaf sheath are eaten. The roots are dried and powdered to make flour then used for bread.

Leaves are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Fruit, flowers, root, rhizome, flower stalk, leaf-sheaths, stem, seed

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. They can also be grown from the rhizome.

Its other names

Local names

Bankel, Bankela, Chavan, Chaveli-keli, Chaveni, Chowani, Colon, Janglikela, Jangali keli, Kardai, Kaudar, Kawdari, Kopak, Lobong keng tong, Malai vazhai, Namninyah, Napkhoi, Pisang ensete besar, Raanmel, Rai keli, Rankel, Rankela, Rankele, Sai suo mot, Sai-su, Saisuang, Saisuong, Thaliphang yasong

Synonyms

Musa superba Roxb.;