The tree that is being cultivated very much extensively throughout all the tropical countries for many years is known as the `Banana Tree`. The scientific name of this tree is `Musa Sapientum Paradisiaca`. This is a proud member of the `Musaceae` family. It is named as `Kela` and `Amrit` in Hindi. In Bengali, it has quite a few names like the `Kaula` and `Champa`, `Chinee-champa` or `Dhakkai` etc. It is called as `Valai` in Tamil and `Vala` in Malayalam.

The huge, herbaceous tree never forms a woody stem. The `Banana Tree` can be found all through India and can reach the height of 1500 m occasionally. The tree never stands frost, as it is an essentially tropical plant. It prospers best in warm, moist regions capable of growing in more arid districts provided well irrigation. In India, banana always refers to the variety that is eaten raw. There are many types of bananas grown and vary greatly in size, colour and shape of the fruit, but all are popular to the people of India as vegetables for cooking.

The banana plants grow in an interesting way. They never spring from seeds. The young plants that "bud" from the old bulb circulate them. In the beginning, this bud gets its food from the parent plant, but in a short period of time it forms its own roots and leaves. When the fruit has all been cut, the life of the parent plant is over. Then, the food that is left in the stem and the leaves of the tree passes down to nurture the young suckers. Within the course of 6 to 8 months, these can be cut away and removed. The growth of the `Banana Tree` is very rapid. It is a gross feeder and the stem rapidly becomes about 6 m. in height. The stem consists of concentric layers. Each of the layers is distinguishable to a leaf. The leaves are stylishly vaulted and very long and oblong. They are bright green in colour and except the young ones; they split from the edge to the centre in many places. By the course of time, the leaves become papery-edged, ragged and unappealing. The new leaves are of brilliant and translucent green colour. They look beautiful in the sunlight. They have some close parallel nerves at right angles to the main rib. Like the stalk, the rib is also often tinged with pink

The tiny leaves remain very much rolled round on themselves. As a result, not a single drop of rain can penetrate to the heart of the plant. The last leaf appears just before the flower stalk emerges from the centre. This leaf is often much smaller in size than the others and it hangs over to protect the flowers from the sun. The flower stalk of the `Banana Tree` appears when the plant is about 12 to 15 months old. This is the proper stem of the plant and it rises from the bulb, through the tube of leaf sheaths. The well-built, broad stalk droops under the weight of a huge, purple or claret-coloured pod. This is in fact a series of bracts in the axils. The unnoticeable, yellow-white flowers cluster on the axils. The female flowers remains covered in groups by bracts at the base of the stalk. The bracts swing open in turn and the flowers quickly develop into rows of fruit. A group of hermaphrodite or neutral flowers stays beyond the female flowers. This group forms some useless fingers of fruit. The male flowers remain at the extreme end. They stay in firm groups beneath hinged bracts. These bracts open in turn to reveal the flowers. Insects visit the flowers for their honey and pollen. There is a naked extent of stalk between the fruit and the knob of male flowers by the time a large cluster of bananas has developed.

Being an emblem of plenty and fertility, the `Banana Tree` is frequently used in Indian festivals. During the marriage ceremonies of the Hindus, the stems that are laden with their branches of fruit are placed at the entrance to the house. They also often use the leaves together with brilliantly coloured materials in decorating temporary erections at festival time. Almost every part of the plant has some sort of economic or medicinal use. The skin of the fruit is used in dyeing. The sap contains tannin and makes a quite permanent, almost black stain on cloth. For this very quality, it can be used as marking ink. People do eat the flowers, the central portion of the stem, shoots and buds of young plants. They usually cook them as vegetables. The huge leaves of the `Banana Tree` are used as plates and wrapping material. They can be also used for making mats or as protection from the rain. From the dried leaf stalks, fibres can be made and they can form a sound kind of string and are also used for tying fences, etc. A lot of illness can be treated with concoctions made from the roots, stem, flowers, and leaves of the tree and also from the ashes of the burnt plant. As far as usefulness is concerned, only one other plant can compete with the `Banana Tree` and that is the coconut.