There are so many varieties of saging or banana in the Philippines. And bananas are actually native to the country as well as New Guinea! There are 1,000 varieties of bananas in the world, but they all seem to have come from one area. All bananas have been traced to wild banana species found in an area that includes New Guinea and the Philippines!

Here is some artwork and simple trivia highlighting some of the country’s favorite fruit: Saba, Señorita, and Morado.

Saba

Saba is everywhere! It is also an important ingredient in many dishes, like banana cue, banana chips, nilaga, bulalo, saba con yelo, pochero, fried saba, the list goes on!

Unripe saba has greener skin, is tougher, and less sweet. But it can still be fried, deep fried (it stays nice and sturdy), or boiled before enjoying. Once saba ripens and turns soft and yellow, it is eaten just fine: sweet, soft, raw, and delicious.

Señorita

Also called Inarnibal, Señorita are some of the more sweeter bananas in the country. They are also known for their small size (you can fit two or three in your hand!).

Morado

Morado is a beautiful dessert banana with a reddish peel. Also known as Raines na Pula, Tadiao Tumbaga in Sulu, Tinumbaga in Surigao, or Pulang Batag in Bicol!

Saging artprints & printables

If you or someone you know loves saging, get them an artprint or printable below!

• Get a Saba printable on Etsy!
• Or see more Filipino Food Art on Etsy!