Bananas - Pisang Raja

A much sought-after banana, the pisang raja is amongst the most requested type of banana for making banana fritters.  There are so many varieties of bananas and this variety is classed biologically to be Musa Balbisiana.  Like many of the other banana plants, this variety also produces multiple baby plants as it matures.

To produce quality fruits, it is best to plant them 3m or 10' apart in high organic content soil that can retain moisture without being soggy.  As it produces multiple baby plants, for better quality and yield of fruits, it is best to reduce them to 2-3 plants per cluster.  It is imperative to ensure sufficient water and nutrients during the inflorescence stage.

As the fruit matures, it turns from green to yellow but not as bright a yellow as pisang lemak manis or emas.  It takes about 8 weeks from the inflorescence stage to maturity.  The fruit is more elongated and has defined edges without "sharp" lines.  The skin has a smooth, almost velvety texture.