Bananas do not grow on trees. Rather, they grow from a root structure that produces an above-ground stem.  The plant is specifically classified as an arborescent (tree-like) perennial herb; in fact, it is the largest herbaceous flowering plant. 

Banana plants can grow to be 30 feet in height, but they are not technically trees: their stems are sturdy, but contain no wooden tissue. They are not trunks, but ‘pseudostems’, made of densely packed leaves. So a banana plant is actually a perennial herb, like a lily or an orchid. Technically, the banana fruit is the berry of the plant – it may not look much like one, but it contains seeds and pulp from a single ovary, so it is often classified as an ‘epigynous berry’.

The banana family is known as Musaceae and the banana herb called Musa. Bananas grow upwards against the gravity. The phenomenon is known as geotropism, in this case negative geotropism. Roots grow in the direction of gravitation while stems grow against the gravitation. The fruit does this because bananas grow in rainforests, where there is little sunlight, and if they were to grow towards the small amount of light that penetrates sideways through the vegetation, the plant could overbalance and topple over.  So, they are forced to grow upwards towards the breaks of light in the canopy. This is also the reason why the banana gets it distinctive curved shape.

Bananas are the most popular fruit in the world. In fact, 100 billion bananas are eaten a year worldwide, with Uganda consuming the most bananas per person than any other country in the world.