Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons" />Manila hemp
Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Manila hemp is a species of banana, also known as Abacá. It is grown as a fiber crop. The fiber is also called Manila hemp.
Names
Scientific
Musa textilis
English
Abaca
Abacá
Abacas
Cebu hemp
Davao hemp
Manila hemp
Dutch
Abaca
Manillahennep
Spanish
Abacá
Cáñamo de Manila
French
Abaca
Chanvre de Manille
German
Abacá
Manilahanf
Italian
Abacà
Abakà
Canapa di Manila
Taxonomy
Order
Zingiberales
Family
Musaceae
Genus
Musa
Species
Musa textilis (Manila hemp)
Basic information and facts
Origin:
Native to the Philippines.
Climate and weather:
Tropical crop
Height:
Can be 4 to 7 meters tall.
Harvesting:
The stems are harvested to extract the fibers.
Uses:
Fibers are used in textiles and clothing. Other use is in special paper, for example to produce bank notes. Aometimes also used to produce rope called Manila rope.