Purple Banana Plant: All You Need To Know

Purple banana plants are big plants that grow from roots and have thick green stems with scales that look like bark and are purple in color. They have twelve to fifteen big leaves, each about a meter long and 20 cm wide, that grow from the top of the tree. Purple bananas grow at the base of the leaves at the top of the plant.

Now let us jump into the article to get knowledge about the surprising purple banana plant. By the way, it is surprising for me as I did not know the purple banana plant exists and those who want to know all the things about it in detail, keep reading this article and enjoy. 

Are The Purple Banana Plant For Real?

Yes, the purple banana plant is for real. Musa ornata which can also be called the purple banana tree is a tropical fruit tree that is known for its brightly colored bananas. The tree grows naturally in Southeast Asia and some parts of South Asia. It can reach a height of 30 feet. The purple banana tree grows small, green bananas with pale yellow skin and bright purple flesh.

Where Do Purple Banana Plants Grow?

Musa ornata comes from southeast Asia and can be found in India, Bangladesh, and Burma. This species is common in tropical areas, but it is often given the wrong name. The plant is pretty hardy and was found in Mauritius before 1805. 

It must have started to move around a few years before it was described botanically on Indian banana plantations in 1824. The plant has also become naturalized in many parts of Mexico, though the seedlings are usually sold under a variety of names (Musa violacea)

How should you take care of the purple banana plant if you have one?

They grow in places where the soil is wet, like near ponds or streams. They also like a lot of humidity, so during the dry winter months, the best thing to do is set up a humidifier or mist the plants every day to keep the leaves moist. 

Well in that case you should know that the growth rate of purple banana plants actually depends on some factors like soil, fertilizer, sunlight, container size, place, etc. 

The few steps you should know like;

Soil:

What type of soil you are using actually matters the most as the purple banana plants are like a basic potting mix that drains well and yes it is easy to find at a box store near you right? But you should remember to stay away from soils that are too dry or too wet and muddy because this thing will not help your banana tree to grow well.

Fertilizer:

Bananas need a lot of food, so you should fertilize your new purple banana plant four times a year, 10 inches away from the base, with a slow-release fertilizer. This will help the plant get started but if you do not feed them, they will grow more slowly.

The important thing here is that you must know that the heavy salts in cheaper fertilizers can hurt the banana’s roots and even kill them so you should use a brand you already know and trust. 

Container Size:

Though all kinds of bananas grow well in pots, whether they are kept inside or outside on a balcony, courtyard, or garden but small types grow best indoors in pots that are 12 to 18 inches in diameter and large types of plants need more room to grow, so a pot that is 18 to 36 inches in diameter and 14 inches deep is usually enough. 

You should keep in mind that a banana will grow taller and healthier the more its roots spread out. When the roots are too close together, the plant will not grow as fast. When this happens, it is time to move the plant to a bigger pot.

How Do you take care of the Purple banana plant outdoors?

If you wish to keep or plant it outdoors then you must follow the below steps;

• So, first, we all should know that this banana plant needs between 80% and 100% sunlight. 

• It is also important where you live, as most plants grow best in full sun. 

• Their growing zone is at the northern end, so purple banana plants in containers should be brought inside or covered during the winter. 

This is when you are planting purple banana trees outside but how do you take care when you plant them inside? Let us also look into that.

How do you take care of the purple banana plant indoors?

When taking care of any plant indoors is always different from outdoors. So here are some steps you can follow to take care of your indoor purple banana plant;

• When you are planting purple bananas indoors then, the plant must be maintained between 67-90℉ and if it gets too cold, they won’t grow anymore. 

• If your indoor temperature is between 80 and 95°F, banana plants will grow extremely fast.

• Though purple banana plants can hold higher temperatures if they have more water, they do not like to.

• Banana plants that are grown inside need to be in a bright room that does not get direct sunlight.

• One way to fertilize indoor plants is to use NPK 8-10-8 fertilizer once a month, which has 1.5 pounds of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

What is purple banana good for?

Purple bananas are good in rich antioxidants.

Antioxidants are substances that stop free radicals, which are molecules, from damaging cells. Along with many other fruits and vegetables, purple bananas are full of antioxidants that help keep your body healthy and in fact, some antioxidants are found in them in higher amounts than in yellow bananas. 

Some other benefits of having purple bananas which are good for your health are;

• They are smaller and thicker than yellow or green bananas.

• Richer in Vitamin C.

• It has a lot of antioxidants which is very important to know

• It Tasted a little bit sweet.

• Ingesting a purple banana will help you to lose weight.

• Purple bananas are good for your eyesight and your skin.

• Moreover, it is also good for your hair.

• Purple bananas will help you to maintain your diabetes if you are a diabetes patient.

• Also, it fights against kidney stones.

• The glycemic index gives these purple bananas a low score.

Why Do People Eat Purple Bananas?

People eat this exceptional fruit because it has nutrients like antioxidants, potassium, and vitamin C that are good for your health. 

The purple banana is a type of banana that has dark purple skin and is sweeter and tastier than other types of bananas. 

Moreover, purple bananas can help your immune system, keep your blood pressure in check, and make it easier to digest food. This fruit is also a good source of energy because it has a lot of sugar. Moreover, it also helps to prevent kidney stones.

So, what do I think now, do you know? 

Well, I think if we all want to boost our energy with a healthy snack then we must grab these purple bananas asap.

Can you eat purple bananas?

The answer to this question is simply YES. You can eat a purple banana the way you peel yellow bananas before eating them. 

You can eat them raw, whole, or chopped, or put them in desserts and fruit salads. Furthermore, to make them more delicious you can also cook them by baking or roasting them.

Fruits like bananas are full of lots of good things for your body, like antioxidants, fibers, and vitamin C. No matter what color they are, they are all very tasty and good for the body.

What does a purple banana taste like?

A purple banana tastes like vanilla custard which is almost everyone’s favorite. It also has a good smell! Well, I think it will go well with the ice cream. Just imagine it. Right now, I really want some.

Oh, wait! Purple bananas can also go well with frozen yogurt or even with some flavorful foods.

What are the common pests and purple banana plant diseases?

Purple banana tree owners, or who want to plant this tree need to keep their eye out for the many pests and diseases that can hurt their plants. So some of the common types of pests are:

• Aphid insects: These pests affect leaves to curl and shrink, and they can also spread diseases that will hurt any fruit that grows.

• Black weevils: If the plant is leaking jelly-like sap, you may have black weevils, which can be killed with pesticides.

• Nematodes: These are the most common pests that attack banana trees and cause the plant and fruit to rot.

• Sap-sucking insects: Small white mealybugs and red spider mites are also often found on banana trees.

• Scarring beetle: This pest attacks groups of fruit on the plant and can be killed with a pesticide.

• Tiny thrips: This pest will discolor and crack the fruit’s peel.

So, banana trees in large orchards often get sick, but fungicides and pesticides from stores can take care of them. You must keep your eyes out for root rot, leaf-spot disease, turning brown, and powdery mildew on banana trees that are kept in pots inside.

Is there more than one purple banana plant?

Yes, there can be multiple purple banana plants. 

If your stand is getting too big or you just want to start over, cut all of the stems off the ground. The plant will then send up new shoots, called “offsets.” Banana plants are tropical flowering plants that are easy to grow and produce a lot of tasty fruit.

What Are The Uses Of This Plant?

The purple banana plant has many different uses which can be beneficial for us;

• The male bud can be cooked or put in a salad, and the leaves can frequently be utilized to make salad dressings. 

• In northeast India, the root of the plant is sometimes used to make ayurvedic (alternative) medicines. 

• The ash of the pseudostem, corm, fruiting stalk, and fruit peel is also used to protect against disease, help the digestive system, or as a natural remedy.

FAQs

Finally

So writing this article was really interesting as I got to know much more information about a purple banana plant which I did not know before. 

However, purple bananas are beneficial for our health so if we have enough space then we can plant a purple banana tree in our home and I hope we all got the information about how to take care of this type of plant. I hope you find the article “Purple Banana Plant: All You Need To Know” helpful.

Also Read:

Purple Banana: Uses, Nutritional Profile & Health Benefits!!