What Makes a Berry a Berry? A berry, botanically speaking, develops from one ovary and has three layers: an outer skin, a fleshy middle, and a seed cavity. Bananas fit this definition.
Bananas Have a Single Ovary Bananas grow from a flower with one ovary. This is crucial for their classification as a berry. Multiple ovaries would disqualify them from being true berries.
The Outer Skin, Fleshy Middle, and Seed Bananas have an outer peel, soft flesh, and tiny seeds inside. These features match the structure of true berries like tomatoes, making bananas qualify as berries.
The Misconception of Bananas as Non-Berrie Despite their look, bananas are often excluded from the berry group. This misconception arises because we typically associate berries with fruits like strawberries and raspberries.
Bananas Are Part of the "True Berries" Family Bananas belong to the true berries family, alongside fruits like tomatoes and grapes, all of which develop from a single ovary and have multiple embedded seeds.
Bananas Are Technically Also a Herb Though bananas are berries, they’re also considered herbs. The "banana tree" is a pseudostem, not a woody trunk, which places the plant in the herb category.
Bananas Are Botanically Berrie Bananas are botanically classified as berries due to their unique structure, defying traditional expectations. This fun fact shows how botanical terms can be surprising and counterintuitive.