The Blue Java banana (Musa acuminata × balbisiana), also known as the Ice Cream banana, is a unique banana cultivar prized for its distinctive blue-tinged peel and vanilla ice cream-like flavor when ripe. This hybrid banana variety originated in Southeast Asia and has been cultivated in tropical regions for centuries.
Blue Java bananas are particularly popular in Hawaii, Fiji, and the Philippines, where they're valued for their cold-hardiness (tolerating temperatures down to 20°F) and creamy texture. The name "Java" comes from its prevalence in Java, Indonesia, while "blue" refers to the silvery-blue hue of the unripe fruit's peel.
Unlike common yellow bananas, Blue Java plants can grow up to 15-20 feet tall with large, silvery-green leaves. The fruit itself is about 7 inches long when mature, with a characteristic blue peel that turns pale yellow when ripe.
