Plantain History. In the 15th century some Portuguese explorers found plantains in Western Africa and they decided to take them back home to plant them. Plantain is native to northern and central Asia and Europe.
Plantains or cooking bananas are banana cultivars in the genus Musa whose fruits are generally used only for cooking. The Saxons quickly grew to label it one of their nine most healing and sacred herbs. Broadleaf plantain AKA Greater plantain botanical name Plantago major is a species of Plantago.
Early colonists brought plantain to North America as one of their favored healing remedies.
General History of the Plantain During his world conquest at about 327 BC Alexander the Great came in contact with plantains and introduced them to Europe. Bananas and plantains probably originated in New Guinea explaining the Panamanian euphemism Guineo used for the berry. This now popular African food item was introduced into India by traders. Trade spread plantains from their original home in Papua New Guinea where they were domesticated somewhere between 5000 and 8000 BC out through the rest of Asia.
