Musa Balbisiana Gigantea 10 Seeds, Bhimkol Wild Cultivar India Banana Fruit

Musa balbisiana gigantea
Also known as: Bhimkol

This here is a very robust wild cultivar right from the remote parts of Arunachal Pradesh, a North Eastern state in India. It is a herbaceous perennial banana (not a tree) and can grow at high altitudes. The pseudostem once established will quickly reach a height of 16-20 feet. The large gracious leaves can grow to about 2 feet wide and 9 feet long. They lack the red-purple leaf blotches so characteristic of cultivars derived from Musa acuminata. Instead they are a distinctive and attractive blue-green color caused by a relatively thick layer of surface wax. Flowering and male bracts are as normal Musa balbisiana. Though the large clusters of tasty fruits are bigger and more compact then normal Musa Balbisiana. The fruits are bluish green and eventually develop yellow skin when mature. They do have little pulp, are heavily seeded and difficult to eat. The seeds have a rough warty seed coat. That's right, they are not genetically modified to be seedless. Genetically they have a higher resistance to various pests and diseases. Makes for a great shade crop or border hedge. No part of the plant is wasted. The ripe seeds ground and eaten have been used for curing dysentery, diarrhea and sore throat. Leaves used for serving food in religious and other festivals and feasts. Male flowers boiled and made into salads and curries. Sheaths make a rope and young new shoots chopped and cooked for cattle fodder.

Prefers full to partial sun. Said to tolerate short term very light frost but can be potted and wintered in a frost free location. USDA zone 9-11. As with all Musa, seed germination can be very slow.

This offer is for 10 seeds.