Botanical family: Musaceae

Ensete lasiocarpum, Musella lasiocarpa, Musa lasiocarpa

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

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Because of its suckering habit, it is important to give plants plenty of spacing.

Ensete lasiocarpum is a unique and attractive addition to the home garden. It is a large, evergreen shrub that can grow up to 5 - 10 feet tall and 2-5 feet wide. Native to mountainous areas in the Yunnan Province of China, its paddle-like gray-green leaves and yellow, orange flowers make it a stunning ornament in any garden. It typically blooms throughout the summer, producing an upright inflorescence of yellow tubular flowers subtended by broad, stiff, waxy, yellow bracts. Flowering usually begins in the second year and continues annually thereafter.

Ensete lasiocarpum can be grown in full sun or semi-shade, in well-drained soil, and with regular watering. It is generally winter-hardy in USDA Zone 7-10, but may survive cold winters in Zone 6 if well-protected with a thick winter mulch over the root area. For areas outside of the recommended zones 7-10, it is best to grow this plant in containers, using a well-drained potting soil mix. In order to prevent freezing in winter, containers with Ensete lasiocarpum should be brought indoors before the first frost and placed in a warm, sunny area, with reduced soil moisture. Alternatively, they can be brought into a cool, frost-free basement corner and given occasional touches of moisture in winter to prevent the soils from totally drying out. Plants should also be given ample spacing, as they have a tendency to sucker.

In terms of care, Ensete lasiocarpum should be fertilized regularly during the growing season. Mulching the soil is a recommended practice, as this helps retain moisture and minimizes weeds. In cold regions, growth in a pot is best recommended, as this will provide a much better protection from frost, and ensure the plant survival. Pots should be placed in a sheltered area, such as a patio or porch, and mulching with straw or evergreen boughs is an effective way to insulate the soil. In addition, a covering of burlap or old blankets can be used to protect the leaves from cold winds.

Ensete ventricosum, Musa arnoldiana, Musa ensete Maurelii

This banana-like perennial has large paddle-shaped leaves, which range in color from deep claret brown to red-purple to pale green, produced from the center of the plant, with thick midribs bright red beneath. White flowers are borne in inflorescences 3 to 4 feet long. Fruits are banana-like but dry and unpalatable. Large reddish leaves. Reaches 20 feet or more.

See Article about Ensete ventricosum.

Musa hybrid ( ABB group )

Musa hybrid (ABB group) is a large plant that can reach 5-10 ft tall and thrives in full sun with regular watering. Its unusual and ornamental foliage is deep red to crimson in color and produces pendulous, vinous flowers that give way to edible fruits. Grown in USDA hardiness Zones 9-11, the fruits of this plant have a variety of uses. Whether they are boiled, grilled, fried, or pickled, the fruits are packed with numerous healthy benefits. One plant can grow up to 25-50 fruits, making it great for harvesting. Not just a delicious snack, these fruits contain nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Dietary Fiber, Potassium and Calcium that are beneficial to the body.

For those living in cold regions, growing Musa hybrid (ABB group) in a pot is possible as long as it is placed in a sheltered area where it will receive some sunlight. The soil should be kept moist and fertilized once a month throughout the growing period. Good air circulation and regular pruning of the plant is also recommended to ensure the health of the plant.

Musa sp.

Bananas are fast-growing herbaceous perennials arising from underground rhizomes. The fleshy stalks or pseudostems formed by upright concentric layers of leaf sheaths constitute the functional trunks. The true stem begins as an underground corm which grows upwards, pushing its way out through the center of the stalk 10-15 months after planting, eventually producing the terminal inflorescence which will later bear the fruit. Each stalk produces one huge flower cluster and then dies. New stalks then grow from the rhizome. Banana plants are extremely decorative, ranking next to palm trees for the tropical feeling they lend to the landscape. The banana inflorescence shooting out from the heart in the tip of the stem, is at first a large, long-oval, tapering, purple-clad bud. As it opens, the slim, nectar-rich, tubular, toothed, white flowers appear. They are clustered in whorled double rows along the the floral stalk, each cluster covered by a thick, waxy, hood like bract, purple outside and deep red within. The flowers occupying the first 5 - 15 rows are female. As the rachis of the inflorescence continues to elongate, sterile flowers with abortive male and female parts appear, followed by normal staminate ones with abortive ovaries. The two latter flower types eventually drop in most edible bananas. The ovaries contained in the first (female) flowers grow rapidly, developing parthenocarpically (without pollination) into clusters of fruits, called hands. The number of hands varies with the species and variety. The fruit (technically a berry) turns from deep green to yellow or red, and may range from 2-1/2 to 12 inches in length and 3/4 to 2 inches in width. The flesh, ivory-white to yellow or salmon-yellow, may be firm, astringent, even gummy with latex when unripe, turning tender and slippery, or soft and mellow or rather dry and mealy or starchy when ripe. The flavor may be mild and sweet or subacid with a distinct apple tone. The common cultivated types are generally seedless with just vestiges of ovules visible as brown specks. Occasionally, cross-pollination with wild types will result in a number of seeds in a normally seedless variety. Bananas require as much warmth as can be given them. Additional warmth can be given by planting next to a building. Planting next to cement or asphalt walks or driveways also helps. Wind protection is advisable, not for leaf protection as much as for protection of the plant after the banana stalk has appeared. During these last few months propping should be done to keep the plant from tipping or being blown over.

Musa Praying Hands - produces perhaps the most unusual and distinctive of all banana fruits. Two adjacent hands of bananas are fused, giving the appearance of praying hands. This is not just a collectors item, the fruits are delicious ripe, containing a hint of vanilla flavor. When totally ripe, individual bananas can be carefully separated from each other. An excellent all-around plant with some wind resistance; it is very collectible.

All eating bananas are triploid varieties of M. acuminata x bulbisiana.

There are numerous cultivars of Cooking banana.

Musa sumatrana, Musa acuminata ssp. zebrina

The Blood Leaf Banana is a subspecies of the wild banana species Musa acuminata, one of the two ancestors of modern edible bananas. This plant is grown for its attractive foliage. The fruit is seeded. The stem is completely red. The leaves are narrow with green and red mottling on the top and solid maroon coloring on the bottom.

See Article about Musa acuminata

Musa velutina

It is a large shrub, reaching up to five and ten feet tall, that typically thrives in tropical climates. Its bright pink flowers, which bloom during the summer months, make it a highly sought-after ornamental plant.

Musa velutina is a plant native to India. This large shrub will grow anywhere from five to ten feet tall and enjoys full sun or semi-shade with regular water. Additionally, it requires a temperature of at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning it is hardy in USDA Zones 8-11.

Musa velutina is grown for both its beauty and its edible fruit. The plant's clusters of bright pink flowers add a splash of color to a garden, and its fruit, which matures in autumn, are edible and sweet. The fruits are small, oval-shaped, and generally weigh less than half a pound. They can be eaten raw or cooked, and can also be used to make jam and other types of preserves.

This plant is not only edible, but also contains a number of healthy benefits. The fruits are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, and are low in fats and calories. Additionally, they provide a substantial amount of vitamin C and essential nutrients, such as potassium, magnesium and iron.

In terms of producing fruit, Musa velutina is quite prolific. One plant can produce up to fifty fruits in a single growing season with proper care. To ensure that this plant produces a good crop of fruit, they should be planted in well-draining soil and fertilized once every two weeks. In regions with colder climates, this plant can also be grown in a pot, as long as it is kept in a location where it can receive enough sunlight to flower and fruit.

Musa x paradisiaca Ae Ae

Musa x paradisiaca is the accepted name for the hybrid between Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Musa x paradisiaca 'Ae Ae' has green and white variegated foliage and the peel on the fruit is also variegated. Flowering and fruiting of bananas occur year-round where they are hardy outdoors. The beautiful coloring of the variegated leaves and bananas makes it very desirable. It is a beautiful banana, they say there is a reason it is only for the elite in society...

It likes slightly acid soil for the leaves to have good variegation. It may flower and fruit at any season of the year. Prefers full sun, but in hot areas should be protected from burning sun especially before stablished. It does not travel well and for a pup to be viable, it has to be fairly large. In areas with too hot and too bright sun, it may not do well in full sun, and dry conditions scorch them. Need some special care to show its best: acid soil (ph 6.0 or less), partial shade and protection from high winds to prevent drying and sun burning.

It can be grown in a container as a specimen.