Musa basjoo - Hardy Banana

The Musa basjoo, known as the Japanese banana tree, is an exotic plant of great robustness and resistance to our cold and humid winters. This perennial plant with an arborescent habit is now widely spread in our European gardens that benefit from a mild to temperate climate. The very exotic appearance of its immense leaves, often tousled by the wind, gathered in a large graceful cluster at the top of a thick stem never fails to charm. With this large banana tree, a change of scenery is within reach of all gardeners, even beginners; it just needs to be provided with water and plenty of food, as well as effective protection against the cold.

The Japanese Banana Tree, belonging to the family of Musaceae, is native to clear woods and forest edges in China, experiencing a tropical to subtropical, mild and humid climate, but it is also a mountain species accustomed to frost and snow. It is a herbaceous plant the size of a tree, reaching 4 to 5 metres (13 inches 1 feet - 16 inches 5 feet) in all directions. The Banana Tree does not have a trunk but a stipe, formed by the sheaths of leaves weaved into each other. Its growth is rapid, to the point that a well-established plant can grow up to 2m (6 in 7 ft) in height in one season.

The foliage, sensitive to wind, is composed of very large leaves carried by a petiole that can reach more than 2m (6 in 7 ft) in length. The lamina, clearly divided into 2 by a robust central vein, measures up to 2m (6 in 7 ft) in length and 70 cm (27.6 in) in width. Its colour is a bright, very vivid, uniform green. To flower and bear fruit, this plant needs long, hot summers, as flowers are only produced after 12 to 24 months of growth. The pendulous flower head, perched at the top of the stipe, bears both male and female flowers. It can reach a length of 1m (3 in 4 ft). Brown-reddish to purple bracts surround small flowers that are very pale yellow to cream. If the climate allows, they are followed by the formation of banana bunches that are 5 to 10 cm (2 - 3.9 in) long and 2 to 3 cm (0.8 - 1.2 in) wide, and yellow-green in colour. These fibrous fruits, rich in latex, contain numerous black, very hard seeds.

In the garden, the Japanese Banana Tree can be planted in moderate climates, provided that severe frosts (up to -12/-15°C) do not last too long. It is hardy enough to be acclimated in open ground, with or without protection depending on the regions. It can even be planted as a standalone tree, in the centre of a lawn or even better near an entrance, to evoke the beautiful mansions built on distant islands. It can also be planted within a bed of hardy plants with a tropical appearance such as Beschorneria yuccoides, Melianthus major, Chamaerops humilis, Cordylines, Agaves or Yuccas. Growing it in large pots is possible, but preferably outdoors due to its large size. When placed in a large container, this plant can serve as a beautiful decoration for the terrace. It pairs well with other orangery plants like oleander, citrus trees, Chilean myrtle, mimosas, and Strelitzia reginae. To protect it from the wind and frost, wrap its trunk in its large leaves, which will serve as a protective blanket.

Similar to perennial plants, banana trees go dormant during the winter season, causing their above-ground parts to dry out and die. Therefore, our teams prune plants that are shipped during the winter to the ground (leaves and stems) to ensure better growth in the upcoming spring season.