Where Did the Banana Come From?

The banana has been called the most ancient fruit on earth, for it was being enjoyed by man long before recorded history began. The banana probably first grew in Malaysia and Thailand in Southeast Asia, and was spread by natives to China and India at a very early date. Alexander the Great and his soldiers, who conquered parts of India in the 4th century B.C., were probably the first Europeans to sample the fruit. In 1516, a priest brought the first banana plants to the New World, planting them on a Caribbean island. The banana grew so well there that it was soon planted all over the tropical regions of Central and South America. But bananas remained rare and expensive in the United States until around 1900, when traders found better ways to transport fresh bananas to this country. Today, the banana is America's most popular fresh fruit. Americans eat more apples and oranges than they do bananas, but many of these apples and oranges go into making juices and prepared foods. Bananas ...  more

This dancing yellow banana gained its legendary popularity after appearing in a late 90's flash clip called Peanut Butter Jelly Time. The clip attracted a a lot of attention and became a worldwide hit, one of the first Internet memes. The banana slowly made its way into pop culture, making several appearances in TV shows and other media. Variants of the emoticon include dancing carrots, cucumbers, onions and other characters such as Sonic, Mario, Megaman, etc. This banana icon is sometimes incorrectly called the Banana Man. To learn more about the beloved banana and it's history, visit its Wikipedia entry.  more