Hexagon Green Fruit Trivia Part 1 – Banana & Strawberry!

We at Hexagon Green provide a myriad of tissue cultures and plantlets for not only orchids, but also popular fruits like Banana and Strawberry.

For starters, here are some interesting fun facts about these fruits, that coincidentally make a revitalizingly nutritious and delicious combination. Just blend both into a thick creamy smoothie and enjoy!

Did You Know?

Banana Rama!

• The banana is actually a berry according to botanical classification, and is also a distant cousin to ginger, cardamom and turmeric.
• The banana was discovered in India by Alexander the Great in 327 B.C.
• Bananas are such a significant part of the Ugandan diet that both “food” and “banana” share the same word, matooke
• The yellow banana is a mutant strain derived from plantains, which are red and green cooking bananas that are not as sweet as the yellow banana, and are a dietary staple in many tropical regions
• The banana is the world's best-selling fruit, beating the classic favourites of apple and orange.
• The banana is actually a giant perennial herb! Although referred to as banana trees, they are NOT trees as it doesn’t really have a trunk but rather a single stem with leaves tightly wrapped around it.
• Banana trees can be productive up to 100 years! However, it is good practice by most banana plantations to regrow new trees every 10 to 25 years. 
• The banana is one of the richest sources of potassium and naturally available vitamin B6. This B vitamin is significantly responsible for helping convert tryptophan to serotonin and assisting the body to make hemoglobin, a vital ingredient of blood.

Merry Strawberry!

• The strawberry is not a true berry according to botanical classification. This is because true berries have seeds inside e.g. blueberries and cranberries, and in contrast strawberries have dry yellow seeds on the outside.
• Each strawberry has 200 tiny seeds on average. The Native Indians called strawberries "heart-seed berries" and incorporated the pounded berries into their corn-meal bread. 
• For centuries, strawberries have been associated with love, romance, passion and flirtation. In provincial France, the new bride & groom were typically served a soup of strawberries, thinned sour cream, borage and sugar.
• Strawberry is said to help reduce the risk of cancer or heart disease according to the American Cancer Institute.
• Strawberry juice is helpful for relieving inflammation or sunburn, when combined with honey. Just rub the mixture thoroughly into skin and then rinse off with diluted warm lemon juice.
• Strawberries are popular among the weight-conscious as they are low in calories (1 cup of unsweetened strawberries  = approx. 55 calories) and make a satisfying nutritious treat.      

Check how many of these juicy bits of info you already knew, and how many were new discoveries for you. Just a tip of the iceberg of the wealth of information about these incredible fruits, and what makes them so attractive to consumers all over the world.

If you’re thinking about growing these very popular and profitable fruits, consider using our tissue cultures and plantlets that will give you a head start and higher chances of success. Just contact us at  www.hexagongreen.com/contactus.