Snow Banana Seeds - Ensete glaucum - Snow Banana Tree

Originally from the mountains of China, Ensete glaucum, also known as Snow Banana, is a tall evergreen perennial with thick, glossy green leaves that can reach several metres in height. Its stem, or pseudo-trunk, is covered with a white wax. Fantastic in exotic settings, its growth rate is such that it already forms a beautiful plant in one season. It can be grown in large containers on the terrace or as an indoor plant, or in the ground with winter protection. This beautiful and fairly hardy plant requires warmth, fertile soil, and good drainage.

The Snow Banana, sometimes called Abyssinian Banana, is a semelparous plant (dies after fruiting) with tuberous rhizomes, native to the mountains of China, in the Yunnan province, on wooded slopes, up to an altitude of 2700 m (8858.3 ft). It is a large banana tree, without suckers at the base, reaching 4 to 7m (13.1 - 23ft) or more in its country of origin. In our climates, it rarely exceeds 4m (13.1 ft) in height and 2m (6.6 ft) in width. It is remarkable for its ornamental qualities and its fast growth. A seed planted in spring can grow into a plant of 1.50m (3.3ft) in just one summer. The leaves are particularly large 1.80m (5.9ft) long), long and wide, entire, alternate, glossy green on the top, paler and glaucous underneath. The pseudo-trunk formed by the overlapping and curled petioles of the leaves is covered with a white waxy layer, giving it a glaucous appearance. It can reach 5m (16.4ft) in height. The visible stump is yellow-green, stained with black-violet as the plant ages. It is a relatively hardy plant, evergreen in mild climates, capable of withstanding light frosts of around -6 to -8°C (21.2 - 17.6 °F), sometimes even less. Flowering, which is quite rare in our climates, occurs in summer on plants that are at least 2 years old, if the pseudo-trunk has not frozen. The inflorescence is cylindrical and can measure up to 2.5m (6.6ft) in length. They are adorned with large bracts, each counting 10 to 20 flowers. The flowering is followed by the formation of black-violet, grey-green fruits in the shape of bananas, approximately 9cm (3.5in) long and 3.5cm (1.2in) wide. The large seeds are black and spherical, with a diameter of 1.2cm (0.4in).

The Snow Banana is used in flower beds or as a standalone plant, even in cooler climates, but always planted in a sheltered location. By tying its leaves around the stem and protecting this bundle from winter moisture, it will survive the winter without damage. It alone creates a beautiful display on the terrace when placed in a large container. It can be stored in a cold greenhouse during the winter. In this usage, it pairs well with other orangery plants, such as oleanders, citrus trees, or Strelitzia reginae.