Chinese Yellow banana (Musella lasiocarpa)

Chinese Dwarf Banana, Golden Lotus Banana 地涌金莲

Maximum Height :

0.9 m to 1.5 m

Growth Form: Herbaceous perennial up to 1.5 m.

Foliage: Grey-green, lanceolate leaves are held semi-erect to erect in a radial pattern around the top of the pseudostem (0.3-0.6 m long).

Stems: The conical pseudostem forms a trunk-like structure.

Flowers: Showy inflorescence known as a terminal panicle (0.2-0.3 m long) is borne at the tip of the pseudostem. The inflorescence is composed of yellow tubular flowers and yellow, waxy bracts. The bracts are triangular with edges curled inwards and arranged in an overlapping star-shaped pattern that resembles a lotus flower. The bracts slowly unfold 1 at a time, revealing a row of small tubular flowers at the base of the bract.

Fruits: Small fruits are inedible (5 cm long).

(information from nparks.gov.sg)