The banana flower (also called banana blossom or banana heart) is the large, teardrop-shaped purple-maroon bud that hangs at the tip of a developing banana bunch. Beneath its tough, waxy outer bracts lie tender pale-cream florets and a crisp, faintly astringent core that is eaten as a vegetable across South and Southeast Asia — sliced raw into salads, simmered into curries and stews, or fried.