Musa textilis (Manila hemp, Abacá)
Family: Musaceae
Origin: Philippines
Location: Tropical Glasshouse
Accession: 1977
Musa textilis is a species
of banana native to the Philippines, grown as a commercial
crop in the Philippines and in Central America for its fibre known as Manila
hemp, which is extracted from the leaf sheaths. During the 19th
century, alongside sugar and tobacco, it was one of the main cash crops of the
Philippines, which still produces 85% of world output. As the strongest of all
natural fibres, it was once used primarily for rope, but is now mainly used for
specialized papers such as tea bags, banknotes and decorative papers. The
fruit is inedible due to its many black cone-shaped seeds.
