Scientific name: Musa basjoo
Family: MUSACEAE
Common names: “Japanese hardy banana
Plant Type: Evergreen perennial, herbaceous in most winters if not protected
Conditions:
Zone: 8-10
Light: Full sun
Exposure: Shelter from wind and frost
Soil: Humus rich
Moisture: Moist
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 15′ W 12′
Leaf and Stem shape: Arching lance-shaped leaves to 3m long
Flower: Drooping terminal spikes of cream flowers in hot summers, sometimes followed by inedible green fruits
Maintenance: Low – medium, enjoys annual lime application, burm around to retain moisture, can protect from frost with a leaf stuffed wire cage, can be left to die back and it will usually return, divide every 3-5 years
Landscape use: Containers, wallside borders, sub-tropical gardens
Propagate: By seed, suckers and division
Pests & Disease: May be affected by spider mites
*Deer resistant
Comments: ~AGM winner, grown commercially in Japan for clothing fibre, might survive a winter if grown under the eaves of a south facing wall
