sah-BAH or sahb-AH) is a triploid hybrid (ABB) banana cultivar originating from the Philippines.

It is also sometimes known as the "cardaba banana", though the latter name is more correctly applied to the cardava, a very similar cultivar also classified within the saba subgroup.

[5] Saba bananas grow best in well-drained, fertile soils with full sun exposure.

They inherit most of the characteristics of Musa balbisiana, making them tolerant of dry soil and colder conditions of temperate climates.

Both were once erroneously identified as BBB polyploids, and both are used extensively in Philippine cuisine, with the latter being more popular in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

[5] They can be eaten raw, boiled, or cooked into various traditional Filipino desserts and dishes such as maruya/sinapot, turrón, halo-halo and ginanggang.

[citation needed] Saba bananas are also cultivated as ornamental plants and shade trees for their large size and showy coloration.

[citation needed] In comparison to most other types of cooking bananas, saba bananas are highly resistant to black sigatoka (Mycosphaerella fifiensis) and are more tolerant of drought conditions and soil nutrient deficiencies[citation needed].