About 2 years ago, my friend gave me a very young banana tree about 40 cm tall. My mom planted it in front of my house but outside my yard. It grew fast and within a year I have already had some big banana trees, but only stems and leaves - very big, wide, green leaves. There's no fruit yet. Some say that a banana tree would only have fruit when she has already become a grandmother tree.
After a long waiting, a banana heart finally showed up among the green leaves.
Banana hearts are used as a vegetable in Southeast Asia, steamed, in salads, or eaten raw. The female flowers appear further up the stem, and produce the actual fruit without fertilization. The fruit has been described as a "leathery berry". In cultivated varieties, the seeds are diminished nearly to non-existence; their remnants are tiny black specks in the interior of the fruit. The ovary is inferior to the flower; because of stiff stems and the positioning of the ovary and flower, bananas grow pointing up, not hanging down. (Wikipedia)
Some say that to a certain condition, banana heart should be cut so that the fruits would grow bigger. Here are some pictures of banana heart after being cut.
Take a closer look, and you'll find beautiful and unique small flowers inside the banana heart. It is amazing to see Jehovah's creative works.
Banana heart is edible. It was sliced and stewed with coconut milk and some spices. It tastes sweet and delicious.
by v1olet
