A noteworthy banana: Sikkim Banana

Sikkim was once a tiny monarchy in the Himalayan mountains, bordering on Nepal, China and India. In 1975, a referendum overwhelmingly abolished the monarchy and Sikkim subsequently became part of India. Not many plants are hardy enough to survive the altitude and cold but the Sikkim banana (Musa sikkimensis) does.

In its natural environment, the Sikkim banana grows in altitudes of more that 2000 meters. The same species can also be found in the mountainous terrain of northern Thailand. The habitat is known for its long winters with its snow, high winds and frost. That means that the Sikkim banana can also be grown in temperate climes of northern Europe and North-America.

[Image: www.bananas.org]

The Sikkim banana is a robust plant that grows very large under favourable conditions: the pseudotrunk can reach a height of more that four meters and can be half a meter in diameter.

The fruits are edible but full of seeds. The fruits are described as lax, arising from large, brown callosities on axis, angled at maturity. The pulp is scanty, dirty white to pale brownish-pink. The taste is described as being sweet with an aftertaste of watermelons. One can grow this species easily from seed.