How to Grow Hardy Banana
Musa basjoo
Hardy banana (Musa basjoo) brings huge, tropical paddle leaves to UK gardens and is grown for its foliage, not its fruit. Plant in late spring in full sun or light shade, in rich, moist, well-drained soil, somewhere sheltered from wind, which shreds the leaves. Water and feed generously in summer and it can grow 2 m or more in a season. After the first frosts, cut off the blackened leaves and wrap the pseudostems in straw and fleece, or cut them down and mulch the crown thickly in colder areas.
In your Leaftide garden 
- Height
- 300 cm
- Spread
- 250 cm
- Spacing
- 200 cm
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- High
- Feed
- Feed every 2 weeks in summer
- Prune
- Remove frosted leaves in autumn and dead stems in spring
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Hungry plant. Feed every 2 weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser from late spring to late summer, or work in a slow-release feed and well-rotted manure in spring. Stop feeding in September so growth can firm up before winter.
Watch For
- Wind damage to the leaves
- Frost damage to the pseudostem
- Slugs on new shoots
- Crown rot in wet winters
Companions
Canna, Tetrapanax, Hardy ginger, Tree fern
Pet Safety
Care Requirements
Light
Full sun to light shade; sheltered from wind
Grows best in full sun or light shade. Shelter from strong wind is essential, as it shreds the large leaves. A spot against a south- or west-facing wall gives warmth and protection.
Watering
Plenty of water in summer
Fast summer growth needs constantly moist soil. Water deeply in dry spells, and daily for plants in pots. Keep the crown on the dry side in winter.
Fertilizing
Feed every 2 weeks in summer
Feed every 2 weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser from May to August, or dig in well-rotted manure and a slow-release feed in spring. Stop feeding in September.
Pruning
Remove frosted leaves in autumn and dead stems in spring
Cut off frost-blackened leaves before wrapping in autumn. In spring, cut soft, dead pseudostems down to firm tissue and trim torn leaves during summer.
Spacing
About 2 m per clump
Allow about 2 m for a clump. It widens slowly as suckers appear, which can be dug up with a piece of rhizome in spring to make new plants.
Mulching
Thick mulch over the crown in winter
Mulch the root zone with compost or manure in spring to hold moisture. In autumn, cover the crown with 15-20 cm of straw or bark to protect the rhizome from frost.
Growing Tips
Shelter from wind
The huge leaves split into ribbons in strong wind. Plant against a wall, in a courtyard or among other large plants to keep them looking good.
Water and feed for size
Growth is fast and thirsty. Water deeply in dry spells and feed every couple of weeks in summer for the biggest leaves.
Wrap the stems after the first frost
Once frost blackens the leaves, cut them off and wrap the pseudostems in straw and fleece. Stems kept alive over winter start the next year already tall.
Pests & Diseases
Pest Slugs and Snails
Identification: Ragged holes in young leaves and slime trails on the emerging shoots
- Pick off by torchlight after rain
- Use wool pellets or a grit barrier around the crown
- Ferric phosphate slug pellets, used sparingly
Pest Red Spider Mite
Identification: Fine mottling and yellowing on the leaves, with fine webbing underneath
- Mist the leaves and keep the compost moist
- Introduce the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis under glass
- Fatty acid or plant oil-based spray
Disease Frost Damage
Symptoms: Leaves turn black and collapse after the first frosts; unprotected pseudostems go soft and brown
Treatment: Cut off blackened leaves; in spring, cut soft stems down to firm green tissue. The rhizome usually resprouts
Prevention: Wrap the pseudostems in straw and fleece after the first frosts, or mulch the crown thickly
Disease Crown Rot
Symptoms: The base of the pseudostem turns soft, dark and smelly and the plant fails to regrow in spring
Treatment: Cut out rotten stems; if the rhizome is firm, healthy suckers may still appear
Prevention: Plant in well-drained soil and put a waterproof cap over winter wrapping so rain cannot soak in
Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 200 cm |
| Row spacing | 250 cm |
| Mature height | 300 cm |
| Mature spread | 250 cm |
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial grown for its huge leaves. Allow about 2 m for a clump, which widens each year as suckers appear around the base.