Pink bananas are sweet edible banana species full of black seeds. The banana is native to Eastern Himalayas to Assam. It is mainly found in subtropical areas.
Pink banana is predominantly known to grow in the wild and is rarely available. They are now grown as ornamental in homes. The conspicuous flowers they produce are appealing to the eye and serve aesthetical purposes in landscaping. The fruit split open when ripen.
Pink bananas are not eaten because they contain many seeds inside them. Each contains between 40-90 seeds. The seeds are hard to be broken when crushed by teeth. The seeds are a danger to the teeth. Teeth can be broken when used to bite the seeds due to their hard nature. These seeds should be discarded when eating the fruit.
What is the taste of pink banana?
The flesh of the pink banana is spicy and sweet. The fruit is hairy and is also referred to as a hairy banana. The fruit can be cooked or eaten raw. It is loved mainly because of its hairy nature and the smooth texture of its skin. It is hardly eaten because of the hard seeds it contains.
Nutritional value of pink banana
Pink banana is dense in fiber. It is rich in vitamin B6, potassium, and vitamin C. It has higher calories than the usual yellow banana.
Pink bananas contain carotenoids which give the fruit pink reddish color. Lutein and beta-carotene are carotenoids that protect the eye from macular degeneration. Pink bananas contain higher levels of beta-carotene than any other banana.
Conditions for growth of pink banana
Pink bananas grow robustly in a shade that is not exposed to the scorching sun. Sunlight is required for their growth but intense sun retard their growth.
The banana grows in deep fertile well-drained soil. The soil should have humus matter and should be moist. The soil should be slightly acidic.
Pink banana does best where the water supply is adequate. There should not be limited or excess water supply. The soil should be kept moist throughout the year.
Pink bananas thrive in a warm environment. They grow best in places where the temperature is between 60-75 Fahrenheit. Bananas can die in extremely cold temperatures.
Propagation of pink banana
Pink bananas can be propagated through suckers or seeds. Root rhizomes can as well be transplanted before they germinate into a new plant.
The banana has also been dispersed to different regions through animal excrement, birds in particular. Birds feed on the fruit and disperse seeds in their waste. The seeds may germinate if the conditions are favorable.
When propagated through seeds, there is a need to break the seed dormancy before planting because seeds are usually tough.
Other uses of pink banana
Because of the hard seeds present in pink bananas, it is not conducive to eating. Removing seeds before one eats the fruit take time. The leaves of the plant are mostly used to wrap rice and fish in Asia. The green leaves are also used in cultural weddings to symbolize a couple’s commitment to love one another. Leaves of pink bananas are used to make a savory dish in India.