Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Musa acuminata Colla. var. Cavendish group

Frost-tender, upright, variable, suckering perennial with large paddle-shaped leaves and pendant, pear-shaped white, cream or yellow flowers with reddish-purple bracts, in summer, followed by edible yellow fruits.  To 6m.  There is also a dwarf form, synonym Musa x paradisiaca, growing to 3m.  [RHSE, Hortus]. 

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘The banana is a well-known edible fruit, the product of cultivated varieties of either Musa sapientum, Musa Cavendishii, or Musa acuminata.  The first-named is cultivated extensively for the export of the fruit in Jamaica and Central America; M. Cavendishii is grown largely in the Canary Isles, and is generally known as the Canary or Chinese banana; M. acuminata is grown in the Malay Region as well as M. sapientum.

In the earliest account of the West Indies, the “bonana,” as it was spelt, was clearly distinguished from the plantain (Musa paradisiaca); but in the Old World, the fruits of these two plants are often both called plantains.  The plants are very much alike, but in the fruiting stage they can readily be distinguished by the novice the fruiting-stalk of banana plants being naked between the fruit and the large purple knob of sterile flowers at its apex, while the fruiting -stalk of the plantain does not lengthen much, and the sterile flowers do not all drop off, so that the stalk is fairly covered.’  [Fawcett – The Banana p.2/1913].

Introduced to Britain in 1829 by Charles Telfair.  [MB p.51/1846].  ‘Cavendishii, from fruiting at a small size, is the most valuable [Musad].’  [JD].  ‘M. cavendishii does not grow more than 4 or 5 feet high, so that anyone possessing a moderate sized house may, with a very little trouble, be rewarded by abundance of its excellent fruit.’  [PD].   Figured in Rumphius – Herbarium Amboinense vol.5, t.61/1741-50.

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [B.327/1850].  It was possibly obtained from Loddiges’ nursery as it was included among desiderata in a letter dated 16th April 1846 [MP A2933-1, p.147].  A single plant of a ‘Tahitian Yellow Banana’ was presented to the Sydney Botanic Garden on September 27th 1847 [RBGS AB].  This was almost certainly sent to Camden from Tahiti by John Bidwill and this shipment may also be the origin of Macarthur’s Musa Cavendishii. 

Notes

Published Jan 20, 2009 - 03:29 PM | Last updated Mar 14, 2010 - 12:23 PM

The line drawing depicts a banana tree and bunches of ripe fruit.  Herbarium Amboinense vol.5, t.61/1741-50.

Musa acuminata Colla. (Cavendish group) cultivar | Rumphius – Herbarium Amboinense vol.5, t.61/1741-50 | BHL

Family Musaceae
Category
Region of origin

Asia to north Australia

Synonyms
  • Musa cavendishii Lamb. ex Paxt.
  • Musa nana Lour.
  • Musa chinensis Sweet 
Common Name

Cavendish banana

Name in the Camden Park Record

Musa Cavendishii 

Confidence level high