Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Ravenala madagascariensis - Traveller's Palm, Traveller's Tree

Edible Portion: Seeds, Leaves, Cabbage, Seed Oil

An evergreen shrub. It grows to 10-16 m high and spreads to 3-6 m across. The stem is erect, formed by the bases of the old leaves. It is palm like. The leaves are arranged in 2 opposite rows on long leaf stalks which form sheaths around the stem. They are 5 m long, are closely overlapping and open like fans. They are paddle shaped. The flowers are white and have 3 petals. They occur in long spikes and have boat shaped bracts in the axils. The fruit capsules contain seeds with a bright blue seed covering (aril). The seeds are edible.