Photos: The men who stare at bananas

Garbutt has been honing his banana puns. “Who knew there were so many?” he said. “It’s hard to pick one. I never knew they had such ... appeal.”
See full story  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Banana ties and golf clubs are just the tip of the iceberg for Fred Garbutt, 46. He’s also stockpiling banana puns, facts, terminology -- a bunch is a “hand,” a single fruit is a “finger” -- and lore, as well as a banana tuxedo with yellow tails.
See full story  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Ken Bannister ran the International Banana Museum in Altadena and Hesperia, deemed the world’s largest museum devoted to a single fruit, for decades before passing on the tchotchkes.
See full story  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)