Bananas are herbs
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (380953)
Rockingham, Australia
March 16, 2026 8:30am CST
Did you know that bananas are classified as a herbaceous plant or herb? This was news to me.
In general, we use the word ‘herb’ to describe aromatic plants that we add to our foods. These might include basil, sage, thyme, oregano, etc but botanically they are all herbaceous plants.
Herbaceous plants all lack wood in the stem, which remain green, soft and succulent. There is a huge variety of plants of these species from tiny garden flowers to those like bananas, which can reach 20 to 30 feet high or more. The support which bears the heavy bunches of fruit consists of layers of leaf sheaths wrapped around each other. There are no rings of wood that you’d find in trees like cedar or oak.
The best I could do for a photo shows banana bread.
22 people like this
22 responses
@wolfgirl569 (135128)
• Marion, Ohio
16 Mar
I always just considered them a fruit
3 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135128)
• Marion, Ohio
18 Mar
@JudyEv But most use them as a vegetable
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (380953)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Mar
@wolfgirl569 Yes, that's true. I was really surprised to find that botanically or whatever, it's classified as a fruit.
1 person likes this
They taste good.
@DaddyEvil (174009)
• United States
16 Mar
Yes, the banana plant isn't a tree but is classed as an herb. The banana itself is a berry because it grows from a single flower.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174009)
• United States
18 Mar
@JudyEv Yeah, eating around the wild seeds isn't a fun thing to do. But the banana taste is still there when you can get enough of the fruit to matter.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (380953)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Mar
@DaddyEvil When you're used to fruit without seeds, you can get a bit choosy. I really like my grapes without seeds now. 
1 person likes this
@Ineeddentures (32898)
•
16 Mar
Banana Bread is good
I had no idea that a Banana was a herb
1 person likes this
@Ineeddentures (32898)
•
18 Mar
@JudyEv
I knew that as well
Whe ever anyone asks me what my favourite fruit is I tell them it's a tomato
1 person likes this
@indahwow (122)
• Yogyakarta, Indonesia
16 Mar
That’s really interesting information. I also always thought that banana was a tree, so it’s surprising to learn that it is actually classified as a herbaceous plant. It shows that many things around us are not always what we assume they are.
The explanation about the banana “stem” being made of layers of leaf sheaths is also fascinating. No wonder it looks like a tree even though it doesn’t have real wood like typical trees.
Thank you for sharing this. Now whenever I see a banana plant, I’ll probably remember that it is technically one of the largest herbaceous plants.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (121714)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
18 Mar
I did not know that bananas are herbs. I know them as fruits that are healthy to eat.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86221)
• United States
17 Mar
Banana bread is a great stand-in for a banana! 
It’s amazing how things are related in unusual ways. Tomatoes are a fruit, not a vegetable, for instance; and “Spanish moss” is not Spanish nor a moss, and is related to the pineapple!
It’s amazing how things are related in unusual ways. Tomatoes are a fruit, not a vegetable, for instance; and “Spanish moss” is not Spanish nor a moss, and is related to the pineapple!1 person likes this
@JudyEv (380953)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar
It seems I still have a lot to learn in this world! lol
@Traceyjayne (11057)
• United Kingdom
16 Mar
I did not know that …..I do make banana bread though …it’s yummy
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (380953)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar
Bananas are grown in our hotter areas. You can always buy them in the shops.
@JudyEv (380953)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar
Yeah, me too. So much I thought I knew but I've been wrong all this time! lol
