Each banana plant bears only one stem of fruit. The plant thrives in tropical climates and is generally grown within 30 degrees North and South latitude. It needs temperatures around 80 F., annual rainfall of 79 to 98 inches and moist soil with good drainage. The banana plant reaches its full height of 15 to 30 feet in about one year. The trunk of a banana plant is made of sheaths of overlapping leaves, tightly wrapped around each other like celery stalks.
Severe windstorms known as blowdowns can destroy acres of plants in minutes.
To help prevent such damage each plant is propped with sturdy poles or overhead cables. When leaf formation is completed, in approximately two months, a flowering stalk emerges from the top and a large bud grows downward from the stalk's tip. Purplish leaves around the bud unfold and banana blossoms are revealed. Each female blossom becomes an individual banana fruit. After the stem forms on the plant, it is covered with a large, transparent plastic bag which shields it from insects, birds and leaf damage, yet allows the sun to reach the fruit.