Blood banana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blood banana |
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| Typical young specimen | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Musaceae |
| Genus: | Musa |
| Species: |
M. acuminata
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| Varietas: |
M. a. var. zebrina
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| Trinomial name | |
| Musa acuminata var. zebrina (Van Houtte ex Planch.) Nasution
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| Synonyms | |
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The blood banana (Musa acuminata var. zebrina) is a special type of wild banana. It comes from Sumatra, Indonesia. People love this banana because it's an ornamental plant, which means it's grown for its beauty. Its leaves have cool dark red spots, which is why it's called the "blood banana"! Even though it has seeds, its small fruits can also be eaten. In the wild, it can grow quite tall, about 6 to 8 feet. But it's also great for growing in pots and can stay smaller, around 3 to 5 feet. It likes lots of sun or a little shade and can handle warmer climates.
Contents
What is the Blood Banana?
The blood banana is a type of Musa acuminata. This is one of the original wild banana species that led to the bananas we eat today. Sometimes, people used to call it by other names like Musa zebrina or Musa sumatrana. These are like old nicknames that aren't used anymore.
Other Names for the Blood Banana
The blood banana has many different names! In English, it's also known as the red banana tree. But be careful, this is different from the red banana that you might find in a grocery store. Other English names include seeded red banana, Sumatra ornamental banana, and maroon-variegated banana plant.
Around the world, it has other names too:
- In Spanish: banano rojo
- In Japanese: ゼブリナバナナ (zeburina banana)
- In Thai: กล้วยมะนี (kluai ma ni)
- In Vietnamese: chuối kiểng
What Does a Blood Banana Look Like?
Blood bananas are easy to spot because of their unique look. Their dark green leaves have cool dark red patches. These patches can be big or small and make each leaf look like a work of art! The plant's main stem, called a pseudostem, is usually quite thin. When they grow fruit, they are small and slender. These fruits are full of grape-like seeds.
Where Do Blood Bananas Grow?
Blood bananas originally come from Java, Indonesia. They are special because they were one of the first types of bananas to be carried by people out of Southeast Asia.
Traveling Bananas
These bananas traveled a long way! They were introduced eastward into Africa. There, they became the ancestors of a very important group of bananas called the East African Highland bananas. These bananas are grown for food and are very important in that region.
The blood banana might also be the only seeded banana that made it to Hawaii before Europeans arrived. In Hawaiian, it's known as the maiʻa ʻoa. This name is also used for another banana species, Musa balbisiana, which came to Hawaii later.
Gallery
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A young blood banana plant with less pattern on its leaves at Longwood Gardens.
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A close-up picture of a blood banana leaf showing its strong red patterns.
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The Inflorescence (flower cluster) of a blood banana plant.
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