This is a banana flower. (A platano, in Mexico.)
Looks a little like Audrey II, the man-eating plant in Little Shop of Horrors, don’t you think?
This flower bud, which is probably 8 or more inches long, opens, petal by petal, exposing a ring of long, tubular yellow flowers with red tips.
When these have had a chance to be pollinated, the covering leaves drop to the ground and a new set opens revealing another ring of sweet smelling golden blossoms.
When the flower has opened completely, all that remains is a bunch of green bananas to grow and ripen – upside down of course.
Then the plant sends out another flower and the process begins all over again.
Here area a few more photos.
Tasty beauty don’t you think?
The Adventures of Blue Bear 