Banana plant care tips: How to grow bananas at home, even in winter
Banana plants make great landscape plants, but it's important to know which one you have for the best chance of survival!
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Did you know banana plants are the most eaten fruit in the United States? They're also becoming increasingly popular as ornamental plants for tropical containers in the summer. Gardeners love that they grow big and fast during the summer and the plants can be stored for next year. There's one type of banana plant that is actually a perennial in our climate. It will come back every single year!
There are thousands of different types of banana plants. Here are the three most common ones you'll find at local garden centers.
The most colorful - Red Abyssinian Banana:
The red Abyssinian banana (Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’) is prized for its enormous leaves, dramatic red and burgundy coloring, and impressive size. This is often called the "False Red Banana" because the fruit is just a seedy pod, not an edible banana. Gardeners grow these for their ornamental value, but the inner part of the stem is actually an important part of diets in Ethiopia, where they're native.
This banana is not winter-hardy, but it can easily be kept alive in a cool place (around 50 degrees). Just cut the leaves off, leave the main stem, and store it when freezing temperatures arrive. New leaves will sprout in spring.
Can you grow this indoors? Yes, but it's more challenging! Indoor heating and low light can make it difficult to maintain banana plants and they are very prone to aphids. Make sure to spray weekly for aphids and spider mites using an organic insecticide made for edible plants (they usually contain neem oil). It's more about keeping these plants alive inside the house than getting them to thrive. They'll grow out of their indoor damage when they go back outside in summer.
Dwarf Cavendish: The best for fruit
Dwarf Cavendish (Musa acuminata ‘Dwarf Cavendish’) is a compact banana variety popular with container gardeners. Getting banana plants to fruit is all about age and patience. The process takes a few years and most banana plants can get quite large before they reach fruiting age. This variety stays small enough to fruit in a container.
It's a more tender species than the Ensete Banana we talked about above and does best during the winter as a houseplant. Before bringing the plant inside, inspect the leaves and stems for pests, including spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs. Rinse the foliage and check the undersides of leaves, where insects can hide. If necessary, use an appropriate insecticidal soap according to its label.
Place the plant near the brightest available window, ideally with several hours of direct sunlight, or supplement with a grow light. Keep it away from cold drafts and heating vents. Water when the upper portion of the potting mix begins to dry, and make sure the container drains freely. Growth often slows indoors, so reduce watering accordingly and avoid overfertilizing during the darker months.
With enough light, warmth, and consistent care, Dwarf Cavendish can continue growing indoors until it is safe to move it back outside in spring.
Musa Basjoo: This banana survives our winter, outside!
Musa basjoo, commonly called the hardy Japanese fiber banana, is the best choice for gardeners who want a banana plant in the landscape, because it is a perennial that returns every season. It is grown primarily for its large green leaves and tropical appearance rather than edible fruit, but it will produce (very seedy) bananas when it's old enough.
The Musa Basjoo needs to be planted in spring for the best chance of survival. If the plant does not have several babies (called pups) by autumn, then the clump is not mature enough to survive the winter. The roots are the hardy part of this plant. Just like tropical bananas, the leaves will wither as soon as we have a frost.
Many gardeners add a pile of mulch to protect the stems from freeze damage. It's important to keep the clump in a sunny spot, ideally close to the home, for the best odds of survival in our climate. Remove the mulch in the spring in the first week of April and you'll see fresh green sprouts. These plants can grow 10 feet in a single season and grow faster with each season. Musa basjoo can survive the winter without any protection if it's a mature plant, but it will not grow as tall and may not sprout until as late as May or early June.
When should you bring tropical Banana plants inside?
Tropical varieties such as Red Abyssinian and Dwarf Cavendish should not be left outdoors to experience freezing temperatures. Bring container-grown plants inside while conditions are still mild enough to avoid cold damage.
Musa basjoo is the exception because its underground rhizomes can survive winter with adequate protection. However, container-grown plants are more vulnerable to freezing than plants established in the ground, since their roots are exposed to colder air on all sides. Moving a potted Musa basjoo into a sheltered, frost-free space is the safer option if preserving the entire plant is the goal.
The key to successful overwintering is knowing which banana you are growing. Happy Gardening!
