Banana and Grapefruit Questions: Edibility and Ripening

Many banana plants in backyard—told not to eat ours. Why? Large grapefruit tree—cut fruit before Hurricane Ike. How to ripen? Any dangers?

Bananas

If it looks like a banana, it's edible. Some are plantains (cook before eating). Ornamental bananas (Musa ornata, etc.) have seedy, inedible fruit—but rare in home yards. Likely confusion.

Grapefruit

• Full size = likely ripe, even if green
• Yellowing = overripe for some varieties
• Taste test: cut one. If sour/bitter, wait.
• Some sweeten after freeze; others don't matter
• No dangers if tree is healthy

Eat and enjoy. Discard if awful.