Ikea bananas sprout and ripen in Swedish man's living room

A banana plant bought from an Ikea store that was closing down two-and-a-half years ago has bloomed for the first time. Bengt Sandström, 61, from southern Sweden purchased the plant from the Helsingborg Ikea for half price.

While the plant remained fruitless for the next 30 months, Sandström was thrilled to see a fresh bud on the tree this past autumn, followed by a yield of 27 bananas since then.

And now, with the yellowing yield ripe enough to eat, Sandström and his girlfriend have wasted no time in trying his home-grown produce.

"We've had five or six bananas so far - and they taste great," he said. "And they taste just like the ones you'd get from the shop."