Ensete ventricosum - Ethiopian Banana seeds

Originating from tropical Africa, the Ensete ventricosum, also known as Ethiopian Banana, is a large, frost-tender, leafy perennial with enormous green leaves with a vibrant red midrib. Its growth rate is so fantastic that it can become a beautiful plant in just one season. It can be grown in large containers on the terrace, as an indoor plant, or in a sheltered location in the ground in milder regions. This beautiful plant requires warmth, and fertile and moist, but well-drained soil.

The Ethiopian banana is a semelparous plant (which dies after fruiting) with tuberous rhizomes, native to many tropical regions of Africa. It is a large banana tree, without suckers at the base, reaching heights of 6 to 10 metres (19.7 - 32.8 feet) or more in its country of origin. In our climates, it rarely exceeds 3m (9.8 ft) in height and 2m (6.6 ft) in spread. It is remarkable for its ornamental qualities and fast growth rate. A seed germinated in spring can grow into a plant of 1.50m (3.3 ft) in just one summer. The leaves are particularly large (1m (3.3 ft) long), long and wide, entire, alternate, dark green and shiny on the upper side, and paler and glaucous underneath, marked by a red central vein. It is a relatively frost-tender plant, evergreen in mild climates and capable of withstanding light frosts of around -4 to -6°C (24.8 - 21.2 °F). The flowering is quite rare in our climates, occurring in late spring. The flowers are surrounded by reddish bracts, overlapping each other in a spiral, forming large spikes and producing small, inedible banana-shaped fruits. Its seeds are large, black, and irregular.

The Ethiopian banana can be used in groups or as a standalone specimen in regions with mild climates, if planted in a wind-sheltered location. It can be a centrepiece for the terrace when placed in a large container to be stored in a cold greenhouse during winter. In this use, it pairs well with other orangery plants such as oleanders, citrus trees, or Strelitzia reginae.