Serbia - banana republic

Change of climate or persistence of the growers may be the cause for the fact that there are bananas growing in several yards in central Serbia, in Mataruška spa, for 5 or 6 years. In the yard of the Đokićs, banana tree, about 5 meters high, gives fruit for the third year in a row. The fruits are miniature, but they are authentic Serbian bananas. Bananas require much water and they are easily replanted, so that there are already about 10 banana trees in that yard. During the winter, banana tree is cut, protected by styro-foam, and it "awakens" in spring and grows few centimeters a day.

Stajka Đokić says that she got the first banana nursery plant from her cousin Živana Andrijanić seven years ago. In the meantime, banana trees decorated few more yards in Mataruška spa. In the meantime, Stajka Đokić planted a new fruit. Mango tree about 1.5 meters high grew from the kernel she planted. Mango is thee years old, it is still in the pot, still without fruit, and it spends winters inside the house.