Description of the plant and its use in medicine and cooking. Photos of the banana flower in whole and cut. The homeland of the banana is considered to be the tropical part of Southeast Asia. There are more than forty varieties of it, both edible and decorative. Edible species grow in Thailand, India, China, Brazil, Vietnam, Burma, Hawaii, New Guinea, on about. Sri Lanka and Cyprus. Many countries grow bananas for domestic consumption only. There is an interesting opinion that the “fruit of paradise” in the Bible meant not an apple, but a banana.
How it grows
Banana groves are cultivated in the tropics at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level. This plant is very sensitive to temperature, it should be between 22 ° C and 35 ° C. At lower temperatures, plant growth slows down, and at 10 ° C it stops altogether.
On the territory of Russia, bananas grow in Sochi, but they do not have time to bear fruit due to the fact that in winter the temperature there drops to 10 degrees, which is why many plants die. The banana tree has a height of two to nine meters and propagates by shoots that grow around the trunk, subsequently replacing the old tree that has managed to bloom. Banana blooms after about 10 months of growth.
Banana flowers grow in inflorescences all year round, have a reddish tint, their upper petals are tough, have a protective function, the lower ones are yellow. Flowers are of male and female types, from each female inflorescence, subsequently, a banana appears.
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Application in medicine
They are widely used in medicine, with the help of banana flowers they treat many diseases, such as bronchitis, dysentery, stomach ulcers. The juice helps with indigestion, leprosy, severe bleeding, epilepsy and neurological disorders, for diabetes, infusion of flowers is made, and wounds and burns are healed with leaves.
How to eat a banana flower
Photo in section Quite a few people know that the banana flower is edible and very common in oriental cuisine. It is eaten raw, salads, a variety of desserts, deep-fried, caramelized, charcoal baked and many other wonderful exotic dishes are prepared.
In Thailand, you can even try banana flower dishes on the street. The flowers have a rich mineral composition, they contain vitamins A and C, protein, iron, carbohydrates, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and potassium. In order to find out what the flower tastes like, people have come up with a little trick: they pinch off the tip of the inflorescence, and taste the juice flowing from there on the tongue.
Taste the banana flower for a taste of summer!
