The Gros Michel Banana ( genus Musa acuminata ‘ Gros Michel ’ ) , famously cognize as “ Big Mike , ” is a historic banana cultivar hero-worship for its rich , seraphic nip , creamy texture , and large , robust yield . Once the global standard for bananas until the fifties , Gros Michel was well-nigh wiped out by Panama disease , pave the way for the modern Cavendish . Today , this cultivar is making a retort among strong point growers and yield partisan for its higher-ranking taste , often described as sweeter and more aromatic than its heir .

With a storied yesteryear and a vibrant flavor visibility , Gros Michel stay on a caption in the banana creation . In this comprehensive scout , we ’ll explore the botanic classification , history , aboriginal area , identifying characteristics , appreciation , growth rate , USDA hardiness zones , culinary software , nutritional note value , season accessibility , and a fun fact about the Gros Michel Banana .

Botanical Classification

The Gros Michel Banana belong to the following taxonomic classification :

The Gros Michel is a triploid ( AAA ) cultivar of Musa acuminata , a species aboriginal to Southeast Asia and the primary ancestor of most dessert banana . Its triploid genome , derived solely from Musa acuminata , contributes to its seedless , fresh yield and uniform characteristic . Gros Michel is infertile and broadcast vegetatively through suckers or tissue culture , ensuring hereditary consistence but increasing exposure to disease like Panama disease . The name “ Gros Michel , ” Gallic for “ Big Michael , ” reflects its large yield size and was coin by French botanist Nicolas Baudin in the early 19th century .

account of the Gros Michel Banana

The Gros Michel Banana ’s history is a tarradiddle of victory and tragedy , deeply intertwined with the worldwide banana tree trade . Originating in Southeast Asia around 10,000 years ago , bananas were naturalise in the Malay Archipelago and Papua New Guinea . By the 16th C , banana had circularise to Africa and the Americas via patronage and exploration . Gros Michel , a naturally happen cultivar , was first documented in Martinique in the 1820s , premise by French sailors from Southeast Asia .

In the 1830s , Gallic planter Jean Pouyat land Gros Michel to Jamaica , where its thick skin , seraphic smack , and transportability made it idealistic for export . By the 1870s , American entrepreneur like Minor Keith and Lorenzo Baker launch the foundations of the modern banana diligence , with Gros Michel as the star . Companies like United Fruit Company ( now Chiquita ) and Standard Fruit ( now Dole ) built huge plantations in Central America , in particular Costa Rica , Honduras , and Panama , exporting Gros Michel to North America and Europe . By the early 20th one C , Gros Michel dominated the global market , earning the cognomen “ Big Mike ” for its size and popularity .

However , disaster hit in the 1950s with the spread of Panama disease ( Fusarium wilt , Race 1 ) , a soil - borne fungus that devastated Gros Michel plantations . The cultivar ’s genetical uniformity made it extremely susceptible , and by 1961 , commercial yield was largely abandoned , replaced by the resistant Cavendish . Gros Michel ’s decline reshaped the banana tree industry , run to monoculture reliance on Cavendish , which remains vulnerable to newer strains like Tropical Race 4 ( TR4 ) .

Today , Gros Michel is experiencing a revival among small - scale cultivator and specialty markets in Hawaii , Central America , Africa , and Southeast Asia . Its superscript flavor and historical meaning driving force demand , though limited handiness keeps it a recession discreetness . elbow grease to develop resistant Gros Michel loan-blend are underway , aiming to restore its legacy .

Native Area

Gros Michel Bananas grow from Southeast Asia , specifically the Malay Archipelago , Indonesia , Malaysia , and Papua New Guinea , where Musa acuminata thrives in tropical rainforest . As a cultivated salmagundi , Gros Michel was refined in the Caribbean and Central America during the 19th 100 , specially in Martinique and Jamaica .

advanced cultivation occurs in :

Gros Michel demand fond , humid clime with 100–150 inches of annual rainfall or irrigation , expand in equatorial regions . Its special commercial-grade product today focuses on local and specialty markets due to disease susceptibleness .

Identifying Characteristics

Taste

increment Rate

USDA Hardiness zone

Culinary Applications

Health benefit

time of year Availability

Fun Fact

The Gros Michel Banana , or “ Big Mike , ” invigorate the classic banana tree look in candies and desserts , get its racy , caramel - like sweetness that forward-looking Cavendish ca n’t duplicate ! In the early 20th century , it was so darling that American ballad maker penned “ Yes ! We Have No Bananas ” in 1923 , lamenting supply shortages . In Costa Rica , old - timer still call it the “ Billie Jean King of banana , ” and growers swear its scent alone can fill a elbow room with tropic nostalgia , making it a yield of caption and lore !

Care and Cultivation Tips for Gros Michel Banana Plants

Challenges and condition