Iceland is known for its stunning glaciers, hot springs, and volcanic landscapes. It’s not a place where you’d expect to find tropical fruits growing. And yet in Hveragerði, Iceland, Maddie Moate visits a greenhouse where horticulturalists like Gurrý are growing different species of bananas.
What exactly are bananas? How long does it take to produce one bunch? What do these plant-ripened bananas taste like? And how do these tropical plants survive in a land known for its harsh, cold climate?
Botanically speaking, these plants aren’t trees—they’re classified as monocots, which group banana plants with grasses, tulips, and palm trees. And bananas are the berries on these banana plants, which are considered the world’s largest herbaceous flowering plants.
The secret to their growth in Iceland lies beneath the island’s surface; unique geothermal properties provide a natural source of heat, which Icelanders have harnessed to create warm, humid environments. Pipes that run through the greenhouse are filled with steam that rises up from the ground. Moate explains:
“The ground in Iceland is alive. In some areas, magma bubbles up from the middle of the Earth and this magma heats natural water that has trickled into the ground. And when that water gets so hot it bubbles back up to the surface…
“The best thing is that this hot water can be used: It provides Icelandic people hot water. It also heats their homes and buildings, including greenhouses. So pipes will carry hot water from hot springs to the greenhouses where it can then go on to warm the banana ‘radiators.'”
Just how hot are these pipes? And what other surprising facts will Moate uncover about these Icelandic bananas? Take the greenhouse video tour to learn about this unexpected slice of the tropics in the land of ice and fire.
CBeebies host, award-winning edu-tuber, and sustainability-focused author Maddie Moate creates smart videos for kids that everyone can enjoy. Watch more on her YouTube channel, on Instagram, and at MaddieMoate.com.
• Geothermal Energy, a National Geographic encyclopedic entry.
• Geothermal basics from Energy Kids at U.S. Energy Information Administration.
• Clean Energy 101: Geothermal Heat Pumps from the Rocky Mountain Institute.
Then watch these related videos on TKSST, including more Maddie Moate:
• How to harvest a large bunch of Lady Finger bananas
• Volcano Bread
• Dusk drone flight over Iceland’s new Fagradalsfjall volcano eruption
• Geothermal energy in Iceland
• Can we use the power of lava?
• Using seawater and sunlight to grow sustainable food in the desert
Plus: Growing food with fish poo.
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