Saging (Musa acuminata Colla)

Botanical Description

Saging (Musa acuminata), is a rhizomatous herb whose trunk consists of a “pseudostem” formed by tightly wrapped leaf sheaths growing only up to 3 meters tall. The leaves are simple but large measuring up to 2.7 meters in length arranged in a spiral pattern, the lamina is waxy with an entire margin and an oval shape. The flowers are borne upon a pendulate panicle with spatially separated male and female flowers. Flowers grouped together with bracts separating each group, males are located at the apex with female flowers at the base and sterile flowers in between. The fruits born from this are similar to the cavendish banana with it occurring in clusters known as “hands” initially appearing green and eventually becoming yellow.

Uses:

• The fruits and flowers are edible. 

• All parts of the plant are used for traditional medicine being believed to be able to treat ailments such as fevers, coughs, dysentery, and even STDs.

• The plant also has associations with fertility in certain cultures to its ability to continuously spread.