What kind of grass can grow a flower that carries up to 50 kg of fruit? You don’t know? Don’t worry, just join us on our digital stroll through Finca Las Margaritas – a banana plantation in the South of Tenerife.
We started our banana experience the best way possible – by tasting all different kinds of locally produced and typical Canarian delicacies. El Cuartito is a cozy little space in the middle of the banana plantation that is dedicated for tastings, workshops and to shop local products. From traditional Pella de Gofio, dried bananas, and banana jam to red banana mojo, banana wine and banana vinaigrette that goes really well with salads, Canarian cheese or fish dishes, everything was delicious! And of course, we cannot forget the star of the show – the banana. The small Canarian bananas are spoiled by sun, and they naturally taste sweeter than the ones most European supermarkets sell. It is a must-try when you come to the Canary Islands!
Finca Las Margaritas is a family-run banana plantation where their dedicated staff passionately and humorously share interesting facts about banana plants. And that is exactly how we continued our visit at the plantation, namely with a tour through the plantation. We learned that banana plants need 25l of water per day, it takes 1,5 years to grow a bunch of bananas and, the most fascinating fact, that the banana plant is actually a grass.
You might wonder: If one banana plant needs 25l of water a day and only grows in a warm climate – how can banana cultivation be sustainable? Well, Finca Las Margaritas uses water from the sea as well as wastewater, cleans it with a natural fertilizer and distills it, so the plant can absorb it. They further use a special plastic-free net that covers the whole plantation to reduce the evaporation of the water used for irrigation. That way, Finca Las Margaritas does not need to use pesticides to grow their yummy bananas.
But let’s take another little peek at the tour. Did you ever wonder why bananas are bent? According to our lovely tour guide Ana, that is because bananas are little sun worshippers that act just like sunflowers and always turn towards the sun. That is how bananas acquire their famous curvature.
If you are now curious about bananas and also want to experience a banana plantation, we recommend a visit to Finca Las Margaritas, where you can learn even more interesting stories and facts about bananas. Check out our reel to get an impression of what your visit could look like!
Thank you again for having us, Finca Las Margaritas. We had such a fun banana experience!
Insider tip to get the best out of a banana: Never put bananas in the fridge and the spottier the banana, the sweeter it will be. Enjoy!
