Overview

Musa basjoo is a suckering conservatory greenhouse in the genus Musa, part of the Musaceae family, with evergreen foliage. It typically grows around 2.5-4 metres tall and 1.5-2.5 metres wide, reaching full size in around 5-10 years. Musa basjoo grows best in full sun, and tolerates most soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H1b. Suggested uses include patio and container plants, sub-tropical, bedding and conservatory and greenhouse. It is native to China South-Central and China Southeast.

About

Musa basjoo, known variously as Japanese banana, Japanese fiber banana or hardy banana, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the banana family Musaceae. It was previously thought to have originated in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, from where it was first described in cultivation, but is now known to have originated in the subtropical southern Chinese province of Sichuan. Its specific name is derived from its Japanese common name, bashō (芭蕉). Mature plants reach roughly 2.5-4 metres tall and 1.5-2.5 metres wide, carrying evergreen foliage. In the garden it prefers full sun and most soil types. It tolerates soil of any pH, well-drained conditions and south-facing aspects.

Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Musa basjoo

About the genus

Musa is one of three genera in the family Musaceae. The genus includes 83 fruit species of flowering plants producing edible bananas and plantains, and fiber (abacá), used to make paper and cloth. Though they grow as high as trees, banana and plantain plants are not woody and their apparent "stem" is made up of the bases of the huge leaf stalks.

Wikipedia contributors, "Musa (plant)", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Musa (plant)

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Musa

Sunlight

Full sun

Soil type

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Soil moisture

Well-drained

Aspect

South-facing

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness

H1b

Plant details

Musa basjoo size, habit and characteristics

Plant type

Conservatory Greenhouse, Herbaceous Perennial

Habit

Suckering

Foliage

Evergreen

Height

2.5-4 metres

Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Time to full height

5-10 years

Suggested uses

Patio and container plants, Sub-tropical, Bedding, Conservatory and greenhouse

Native to

China South-Central, China Southeast

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Musa basjoo

Cultivation

Prefers full sun and well-drained soil; tolerates a range of soil types and pH levels; requires shelter from strong winds; mulch in winter in colder climates

Pruning

Remove dead or damaged leaves to maintain appearance; cut back stems to ground level after frost in colder areas

Propagation

Seed, Suckers

Pest resistance

Glasshouse red spider mite, Mealybugs, Aphids

Disease resistance

Generally disease-free

Frequently asked questions