Musa basjoo (Japanese Banana)
Michael's Opinion
A striking plant for use in the tropical garden, bold in form and tropical in character they are punctuations points in the temperate garden.
Botanical Information
| Family | Musaceae |
| Genus | Musa |
| Species | basjoo |
| Category | Perennials, Tropicals |
| Origin | Southwest China and the Himalayan region, although commonly cultivated in the Japanese Ryukyu Islands, hence its common name. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 7 (possibly 6 with heavy mulch and winter protection) |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 6 |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H6 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -10 |
| Temperature (°F) | 14 |
| Height | 1 - 1.5 m |
| Spread | 1-1.5 m |
| Growth | Fast |
| Flowering Period | January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December |
Description and Growing Information
| Landscape | Commonly cultivated in the Ryukyu Islands as a source of fibre, where the leaves and stems are processed for their extremely resilient yet soft fibres. |
| Cultivation | To overwinter on the edge of its top hardiness, cut the plant back to about 1 m, wrap chicken wire around the stems 30 cm or more than the cut back height, forming a cage. Pack the cage with straw firmly and line the outside of with fleece to protect against harsh winter winds. Top the structure with a piece of rigid plastic to shed winter rains. Remove winter protection after the last frost in the spring. |
| Pests | No major pests. |
Photographs
