Banana Boffins

Welcome you brainy bunch! Here you’ll discover lots of fun facts about bananas like me. For example, did you know bananas don’t actually grow on trees at all? We actually grow on really, really, really, really… tall plants! To discover more fun facts, plus some exciting experiments you can try at home keep reading on!

Let’s Experiment!

Ever wondered how long it takes for bananas like me to ripen, or how much light we need to grow? Find out now by trying these simple experiments at home today.

      • Do Plants Need Light to Grow?
      • 3-5 Days
      • Banana plants, like most plants, need light in order to grow and be healthy. Let’s investigate the effect of light on plant seedlings. Mustard seeds are recommended.
      • Download
      • How do insects break down plants?
      • 2 weeks
      • This is a simple experiment to show how insects feed on and break down fruit. All you have to do is throw some pears in a jar and let the bugs do the work!
      • Download

Where bananas grow up...

I’m grown in tropical countries such as Belize, Colombia and Costa Rica where it’s always lovely and hot. Plus, at certain times during the year there’s also lots and lots of rain – which means sometimes I need both my sunglasses and my umbrella ready. In the winter months, it still stays nice and warm, so no snowmen are made by the kids here…thankfully this warm weather does mean  that my friends and I can grow all year round.

Did you know...

  • Bananas like me grow on giant green plants that can get as high as 16 feet, that’s almost as tall as an adult giraffe!
    The plants I grow on may look like trees to most people, but the trunk, or rather stem, is actually made up from leaf stalks that roll around one another. Oh, and to make sure we stay super healthy (and tasty) our farmer friends spend all year looking after us.
  • When the Freddy Fyffes plant is old enough it produces a big purple flower.
    The beautiful flower also bends over and underneath its petals you can see tiny bananas; that’s me as a baby banana. Don’t I look cute? The tiny bananas turn upwards towards the sun and they stay pointing that way until they’re fully grown – which is why I’m curved and not straight.

The Journey of the Banana

One of the many foods that reach us by ship are bananas and they have quite a journey to get to your lunch box! Follow our banana Freddy to learn more...

      • The journey begins in warm and sunny countries where the banana is grown.
      • The farmers pick the bananas when they are still hard and green. The bananas are then washed and packed into trays.
      • When all full up the trays are loaded into containers and onto huge ships. The ships are massive – they can be as big as four football pitches!
      • Lots of people work on ships and they are called seafarers. Deck Hands work on cargo ships and look after the bananas and keep the ship clean and safe.
      • A ship will have a Chief Engineer onboard to look after the engine and make sure the whole ship runs smoothly.
      • The Captain is in charge of the ship and its journey across the sea
      • Ships arrive at ports where they are unloaded and the bananas are put onto lorries.
      • The bananas are then taken to special Fyffes warehouses where they are ripened so that we can eat them. Once they are ready they are loaded onto lorries and sent to shops, cafes and supermarkets.
      • So quite a journey from its start to your lunchbox! Next time you enjoy a banana think about the amazing adventure it’s been on!

Let’s have some more fun

I like to do many things from cooking to experimenting to getting fit and would love if you could join me.

  • Get Cooking
    Check out my super tasty banana recipes to try at home with your mum and dad.
  • Banana Boffins
    Discover more about where bananas like me grow up and lots of other fun facts you can tell your friends.
  • Get Fit
    Discover a bunch of fun ways to get super fit and strong.
  • Get Arty
    If you love painting, taking photos or just making a bit of a mad mess then I’ve got lots of fun arty things for you to try.