From the archive record
Musa velutina is a vertically-growing pink banana type strange pretty plant, seen in Latpanchar, in India's West Bengal. Musa velutina, the hairy banana or pink banana, is a diploid species of wild banana. These plants are originally from Assam and the eastern Himalayas. The fruits are 3 in (8 cm) long, pink, and fuzzy. They are borne on erect flower stalks with a pink inflorescence. Musa velutina flowers at a young age, doing so within a year. The fruits peel back when ripe. It is often grown as an ornamental plant, but has soft, sweet flesh that can be eaten. The seeds are quite tough and can chip a tooth. To sow, first soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours. They should be planted in fine compost and kept at a constant temperature of 20°-24 °C (68 to 75.2F) with full natural light. T