Initially, it appears above the last leaves in an upright position, and consists only of a large, purple, tapered bud. As this bud opens, the slim, white, tubular, toothed flowers are revealed, clustered in whorled double rows along the stalk, each cluster covered by a thick, waxy, hood-like bract. The bract lifts from the first hands in 3-10 days. Female flowers, with inferior ovaries, occupy the lower 5 to 15 rows on the stalk, with neuter or hermaphrodite flowers in the center, and males at the top. Traces of the undeveloped ovules are seen as brown specs in the center of the fruit.
Floral morphology suggests that wild bananas are bat pollinated in their native range.
General Culture A. Soils and climate. Deep, well-drained alluvial soils are best, but bananas can tolerate a wide variety of soil conditions. The banana is adapted to hot, wet, tropical lowlands. Frost kills plants to the ground, although the corm usually survives. In the absence of bits, suckers from existing stools may be removed and planted.