Bulungan, a local banana variety whose peel doesn’t turn yellow even when ripe

Like most bananas, bulungan is rich in vitamins and minerals.

You bring home a bunch of bananas as pasalubong from a relative who just arrived from the province.

Days pass. The bananas remain stubbornly green.

You check them every morning, waiting for them to turn yellow. Nothing happens.

Then one day, brown spots start appearing on the peel. Before you know it, the fruit looks overripe.

What happened?

The answer is simple: the bananas were already ripe.

Meet Bulungan, one of the Philippines’ most unusual heirloom banana varieties. More commonly known as Bungulan, this dessert banana stays green even when fully ripe, often fooling first-time eaters into thinking it is still unripe.

Unlike Lakatan and Latundan, which develop a bright yellow peel as they mature, Bulungan retains its signature green color. By the time the peel begins showing brown spots, the fruit inside may already be at or past its peak ripeness.

Many names, one banana

Depending on where you are in the country, Bulungan goes by different names.

In many parts of Luzon, it is called Bungulan or Saging na Bungulan. In Cebu and other parts of the Visayas, it is known as Buluñgan. In Negros Occidental and Iloilo, locals call it Balañgon, while in the Bicol Region, it is known as Buñguran.

Despite the different names, they all refer to the same beloved variety.

Sweet, creamy, and fragrant

Bulungan belongs to the Cavendish subgroup but has a flavor all its own.

Its flesh is soft, creamy, and exceptionally sweet, with some enthusiasts describing hints of melon or even bubblegum in its aroma. The fruits are long, slightly angular, and gently curved, making them easy to distinguish from other local bananas.

A nutritious local favorite

Like most bananas, Bulungan is rich in potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. It provides quick energy while supporting heart health, digestion, and proper muscle function.

Its natural sweetness also makes it popular for banana bread, cakes, and muffins. In some areas, surplus Bungulan bananas are processed into green banana flour, which is valued for its high resistant starch content and nutritional benefits.

While commercial varieties dominate supermarket shelves, Bulungan remains a treasured local fruit that showcases the diversity of Philippine agriculture.

And if a bunch of green bananas suddenly starts turning brown before turning yellow, don’t worry.

They may be perfectly ripe Bulungan bananas all along.

READ: