Going Bananas!

Well actually, going to visit a banana plantation, during a walk in Madeira....

Did you know,...

- those enormous banana trees are not “trees” but one of the biggest plants in the world

- it takes only 9 months for the banana plant to get so big and then flower

- then another 9 months while the tree is “pregnant” and the bunch of bananas develops

- then that’s it!! (game over) that one bunch is harvested and the plant is cut down!

A new fresh shoot is already growing out of the roots by that time, all ready to begin the cycle again.

To harvest, one guy positions the bananas onto his shoulder while a second guy; standing above on a ladder cuts the stem.

The bananas can weigh up to 60-70kg and have to be carried gently up the hills to the waiting truck.

If you put them down for a rest along the way then they’ll get bruised, and so will you if the plantation owner sees it!

Our guide for this walk told us he once worked on a plantation for two weeks and said that that was certainly long enough for him!

By the way, these smaller silver bananas on Madeira taste wonderful.

Banana leaves

A path through the plantation

New flower

The flower develops several tiers of bananas

Only one bunch per "tree"

The new plant is growing already