Teochew Jiaguo: Xikou banana

Banana fine species, plantain family, native to Chaozhou Phosphorus Creek Town Xikou Village and named. Banana is a perennial evergreen herb with an upright, soft stem, made up of thick, tile-like leaf sheaths, commonly known as "false stems", the leaves are concentrated on the top of the false stem, the false dry yellow-green with purple-brown spots. According to the false dry high and low, there are two strains, called high-footed bananas and short-legged bananas. Tall-footed banana plants are tall, strong in growth, false stem height 250 to 350 cm, circumference of more than 85 cm, leaf length and large, leaf end is more pointed, leaf sheath spacing is sparse, leaf back and main vein covered with white powder, fruit shaft is coarse, the number of fruit combs is more, the fruit is also larger, the fruit panicle weighs 15 to 30 kg, the cold resistance is stronger, more resistant to fertilizer and drought, but it is susceptible to wind damage; short-legged banana plants are shorter, stronger, false stem height 210 to 250 cm, circumference 70 to 85 cm, leaf sheath spacing is denser, leaf width, leaf tip is blunt, and white powder is on the back of the leaf. The fruit shaft is short and thick, the comb spacing is dense, the fruit is small, the fruit body is more curved, the cold resistance is weak, and the wind resistance is stronger. Farmers tend to grow tall bananas. Xikou Village has a long history of growing bananas and is known for its high yield and good quality. Located in the lower reaches of the Han River, this village is an alluvial soil with a deep and fertile soil layer, loose soil, convenient drainage and irrigation, and is very suitable for banana growth. In the forty-second year of the Qing Kangxi Dynasty (1703), when Liu Shiying, a member of the village, passed through Panyu, he brought back 2 banana seedlings to plant, and later propagated and promoted, and there were many plantings in the surrounding countryside, making Xikou Village the main banana-producing area. In 1978, Phosphorus Creek Town planted a total of 399 acres of bananas, with an output of 556 tons. After 1984, the planting layout was adjusted, and by 1987, the planting area reached 6300 mu, and the output was 1. 250,000 tons. The banana fruit spikes produced are large, generally weighing 15 to 20 kilograms, the fruit shape is medium and large, long and slightly curved, the flesh is soft and smooth, the flavor is sweet and aromatic. Chaoshan counties have introduced a large number of species.

Xikou Banana (Zhang Youzun)