Musa Velutina H. Wendl. & Drude - National Parks Board

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Musa velutina H. Wendl. & Drude

Family Name:	Musaceae
Synonyms:	Musa dasycarpa
Common Name:	Velvet Pink Banana, Hairy Banana, Pink Fruiting Banana, Self-peeling Banana

Musa velutina is an ornamental banana known as Velvety Pink Banana. Growing up to 1.5 m tall, it has light pink bracts, yellow flowers and red fruits. The fruits are sweet and edible that splits when ripe. Velvety Pink Banana is suitable to be grown in containers and with adequate sunlight, it flowers freely year-round.

Full Sun

Semi Shade

Lots of Water

Fruit or Vegetable

Indoor Plant

Ornamental Flowers

Underground Storage Organ

Herbaceous Plant

Explore more topics

• Name
• Classifications and Characteristics
• Biogeography
• Description and Ethnobotany
• Landscaping Features
• Plant Care and Propagation
• Foliar
• Non - Foliar and Storage
• Floral (Angiosperm)
• Fruit, Seed and Spore
• Image Repository
• Others

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Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments
Species Summary

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Herbaceous Plant
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Plant Shape	Shrubby
Maximum Height	1.2 m to 1.8 m
Maximum Plant Spread / Crown Width	0.9 m to 1.5 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Assam, East Himalaya
Native Habitat	Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone	Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal, Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Non-native

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is a slender, short herb that grows up to 1.5 m tall. It has a yellowish-green to purplish-green pseudostem that produces suckers freely.
Foliage	Its leaves are large, green, elliptic oblong in shape, measuring between 87 – 95 x 33 – 35cm in size. Leaf edges are often torn by wind.
Flowers	Its flowers are monoecious, separate male and female flowers found on the same plant. Flowers are yellow to orange, enclosed within the bracts. The bracts are light pink in colour with white stripes externally. With maturity, the inflorescence will degenerate leaving only the fruits on the stalk. This plant flowers year-round.

Fruit	Its fruits are angular, about 8 cm long. Each ‘hand’ consists of 3 to 4 ‘fingers’. The fruits are reddish-pink covered in velvety hairs. The skin of the fruits comes off as the fruits ripen, revealing its creamy-white flesh. Fruits contain many fairly large black seeds.
Habitat	Occur in forests, woodlands, savanna, shrublands, inland, elevation range between 0 – 1500m.
Cultivation	Propagate by seeds, suckers or division. Seed-grown plants able to bear fruit in around 1 year.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Edible Plant Parts : Edible FruitsFood (Fruit or Vegetable)Others: Fruits reported to be edible raw, with delicious sweet taste, although the many embedded seeds have to be removed. To be eaten within one day of the skin splitting open. Flowers and leaves used in floral arrangements for a tropical look. In some parts of India, the male buds are harvested and eaten as vegetables. Leaves are used as wrapping materials or containers for food in local markets.

Landscaping Features

Landscaping	Suitable for small gardens and containers. May be used in interiorscapes -- one of the few banana species that can fruit while located indoors. Fast-growing and performs best in damp but well-draining soils.
Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Fruits
Landscape Uses	Container Planting, General, Focal Plant, Interiorscape/ Indoor Plant

Thematic Landscaping	Economic Garden, Naturalistic Garden
SGMP Treatment

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Semi-Shade, Full Sun
Water Preference	Lots of Water
Plant Growth Rate	Fast

Rootzone Tolerance	Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils
Maintenance Requirements	Moderate
Propagation Method	Seed, Sucker, Division

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Smooth, Glossy / Shiny, Leathery

Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Spiral
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate)
Foliar Venation	Parallel
Foliar Margin	Entire - Wavy / Undulate
Foliar Apex - Tip	Truncate
Typical Foliar Area	Megaphyll (>1640.25cm2 )
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	3.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Monocot)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Stem Type & Modification	Herbaceous
Root Type	Underground (Fibrous Root)
Specialised Storage Organ(s)	Underground (Rhizome)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Bisexual Flowers , Monoecious
Flower Colour(s)	Pink, Yellow / Golden

Flower Grouping	Cluster / Inflorescence
Flower Location	Terminal
Flower Symmetry	Radial
Individual Flower Shape	Tubular
Flowering Period	Free-Flowering
Flowering Habit	Polycarpic

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Pink
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Fleshy Fruit , Berry

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	954
Species ID	2248
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.

Species record last updated on: 01 March 2022.

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