Gabe15

Dessert bananas are bananas that are sweet when ripe and eaten raw. Any type of edible banana (genetically) can be a dessert banana, it is not any sort of classification, just a culinary description really. Any banana can be cooked, but not all bananas ripen sweet and can be reasonably eaten raw. The differences between dessert and cooking bananas is mostly cultural and based on local preference and customs.

Cavendish is a genetic group of bananas of which there are many closely related varieties. Orinoco is not a Cavendish, it is a Bluggoe (another genetic group like Cavendish). Orinocos are commonly used as both dessert and cooking bananas (not to be confused with plantains which are a specific genetic group of cooking bananas). Gros Michel is an entirely different genetic group.

Plant taxonomy and classification can be tricky as it is, but bananas take it to a whole different level. In order to really understand and make any sense of them, you really have to spend some time digging through the information out there and putting it together yourself. There is also a lot of common nonsense about bananas too, so its not always easy to sort the rubbish from the good stuff.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.