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About Ravenala madagascariensis (traveller's tree)

Ravenala madagascariensis - A large tree-like plant which is native to moist forests in Madagascar where it will grow over time to 30-50' tall. This plant features an unbranched trunk (to 12" diameter) which is topped by a fan-shaped single plane of enormous, long-stalked, banana-like, deep green leaves (20-30 per trunk). Each leaf blade is 5-10' long by 2-3' wide and appears at the end of a thick, grooved leaf stalk (petiole) which is as long or longer than the leaf blade. Showy 3-petaled white flowers in cymes rise from boat-shaped spathes. Flowers bloom in summer plus sporadically throughout the rest of the year. Flowers are followed by woody capsules (to 3 1/2" long) containing edible seeds covered by bright blue arils.  Family : Strelitziaceae