The leaf stems become thick, with smooth large blades, usually 4 or more feet long and 1-2 feet wide. These are entire at first, appearing as large rounded blades. They soon split along parallel side veins to appear like a large feather. After the plant reaches full growth, a flower cluster forces its way up through the compressed layers of the leaf sheaths that make up the trunk. The flowers are borne on a thick erect or drooping stem, issuing from the top of the trunk or at the center of the leaf cluster, commonly in flat groups under a large dark to light colored purple-red or green bract.
Male flowers are at the stem tip, female flowers at the stem base.
The calyx is tubular, soon splitting on one side. There is a corolla with one petal and approximately 6 stamen. The flowers set fruit without pollination and then drop their purple leathery petals one by one. It takes about a year for the plant to produce mature fruit. Each healthy banana plant bears 5 to 9 rows, or hands, of bananas .