Yunnan banana
Musa itinerans
Family: Musaceae
What it is like
A banana herb. The false stem is dull yellow-green and turns purple when old. It grows 5-7 m tall. The leaf stalk is 50-60 cm long and it closes in the middle. The leaves are pale green underneath. They are 2.4-3.1 m long and 70-90 cm wide. The flowering shoots hang down and are velvety. The bracts of the male flowers are yellow on the inner side and dark reddish purple on the outside. The fruiting body is a 5-10 clusters of berries. There are 15-18 berries in a cluster and these are 12-14 cm long by 3-3.5 cm wide. There are many seeds.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. In Yunnan. In Queen Sirikit BG.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China, Myanmar, SE Asia, Thailand
How it is used for food
The fruit are cooked. The flowers and young bracts are cooked as a potherb. The tender stem heart is used as a potherb.
It is sold in local markets.
Edible parts
Fruit, flower bract, growing shoot
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed.
Its other names
Local names
An ne, Bi, Diu di, Taw-nget-pyaw