Evolutionary Stages of a Banana Tree. Grow One For Yourself

We admired a banana tree in our good friend’s backyard. She subsequently gifted us a sucker—a sprout that appears from the base of the parent specimen.

We planted it and watched it grow. We purposely did not research the evolution of banana trees, preferring to be surprised each day.

It's been great entertainment. The photos trace the flowering and fruiting stages at roughly one year’s growth.

If you have space in your yard (and children especially), I would suggest that you plant a banana tree for the sheer joy of experiencing the wonders of large flora firsthand.

Here’s what we understand about the life cycle of a banana tree. It’s an intricate and remarkable plant.

·      A tree's life cycle begins with germination of its seeds. Seeds are produced by the flower, not the fruit.

·      With germination of the seed, a tiny sprout emerges, which grows to form the plant’s first leaves.

·      A root system develops to anchor the plant and absorb water and nutrients.

·      Rapid development of leaves follows. Leaves capture sunlight, converting it into energy through photosynthesis.

·      The plant flowers once in its lifetime, typically after 9 to 15 months of growth.

·      The flower is large and stunning, colors ranging from red to purple. The flower contains male and female reproductive organs, making it self-fertile.

·      The tree relies on pollinators, such as bees and hummingbirds, attracted to the colorful and fragrant flower.

·      Fruits grow in clusters known as "hands," with each hand containing multiple individual fruits called "fingers."

·      The unripe fruit is primarily composed of starch. As the fruit matures, enzymes convert starch into sugars; the texture of the fruit becomes smoother and more appealing to the palate.

·      Once the fruit reaches the desired size and ripeness, it is ready for harvest. The fruit is cut from the tree while  green and allowed to ripen off the plant.

·      After the fruit is removed, the plant begins to wither and die. The tree regenerates itself through sucker formation. While the mother plant dies after a single flowering, its genetic legacy continues through its suckers.

·      Finally, the tree will live as long as six years. However, you may chose to cut the stalk back to 30 inches above the ground. Remove the stub several weeks later. The stalk can be cut into small pieces and used as mulch.