The morphological and physicochemical characteristics of 23 varieties cultivated in Colombia were assessed. The study permitted to describe the phenotypic diversity and the heterogeneity within-bunches and within-hands of 47 plants. A sampling strategy was suggested accordingly. Dry matter content helped to significantly discriminate consumption groups or subgroups of bananas (P <_ 0.01): FHIA dessert hybrids (24.6%) < dessert bananas (29.4%) < non plantain cooking bananas (32.0%) < FHIA cooking hybrids (34.2%) < plantains (41.1%). Plantain group showed significantly lower mineral contents for calcium and magnesium on dry weight basis (db) than the dessert banana genetic group, with 8.4 and 90.7 mg/100g db respectively. Wide variation in potassium contents was revealed among varieties (814 to 1550 mg/100g db). FHIA dessert hybrid group showed the highest content with an average amount of 1451 mg/100g db. Onset temperature of starches varied from 59.7 to 67.8°C and permitted to significantly differentiate (P <_ 0.01) dessert bananas (63.2°C), from non plantain cooking bananas (65.7°C), from FHIA hybrids (66.6°C) and plantains (67.1°C). FHIA hybrids (cooking and dessert) are significantly discriminated from dessert banana landraces but not from cooking groups (P<_ 0.01). The amylose content of starches varied from 15.4% to 24.9%. A strong relationship was demonstrated between the consumption mode and the amylose content measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Most amylose contents of dessert bananas were below 19% whereas cooking bananas percentages were higher than 21%. Rheological properties were studied using a standardised protocol by Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) irrespective to the [alpha]amylase content of the flour using silver nitrate 0.002M. Flour pasting temperature was relevant to differentiate dessert bananas (69.5°C) from FHIA dessert hybrids and non plantain cooking bananas (72.8°C), from cooking hybrids and plantains (75.