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Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. They are native to the tropical region of Southeast Asia, and it is thought to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea. Today, they are cultivated throughout the tropics and grown in at least 107 countries throughout the world. Dole source from a number of these countries as can be seen on the map.

Banana plants are of the family Musaceae which are cultivated primarily for their fruit. As the banana plants are normally tall and fairly sturdy, they are often mistaken for trees, but their main or upright stem is actually a pseudostem. Each pseudostem can produce a bunch of green bananas, which when ripened turn yellow. The banana fruit grow in hanging clusters, with up to 20 fruit to a tier that is called a hand. Each individual fruit (known as a banana or 'finger') has a protective outer layer (a peel or skin) with a fleshy edible inner portion. Bananas are a high source of vitamin B, vitamin C, and potassium.