You have options if you need a more cold-hardy variety, such as Japanese banana (Musa basjoo), USDA zones 5 through 10, or Musa 'Orinoco,' USDA zones 7 through 10. The fruit borne from the snow banana isn't cultivated for use in North America. In areas with mild winters and only one or two days of freezing temperatures, leave the container outdoors and protect the soil with a thick layer of mulch; wrap the pot if a heavy frost is predicted. It isn't quite as tough or as readily available, however, as one of its similar relatives—the Abyssinian banana (Ensete ventricosum). Whether you grow an ornamental flowering banana (Musa ornata) or an edible variety (Musa x paradisiaca), you need to plan carefully if you don't want to lose the plant when the temperature drops. Hardy banana trees grow rapidly, as much as 12 feet (3.5 m.) with 6-inch (15 cm.) While the leaves will be damaged or destroyed by freezing weather, the roots will survive and grow new shoots the following spring. Do not use potting soil or peat, as banana trees find this too moist. How to Plant a Cold Hardy Banana Tree. These trees are heavy feeders. When the root ball stored in your garage or basement begins to send up new shoots – and if all threat of frost has passed – transfer the banana plant back outdoors. If your plant is movable and you have space, transfer it to an indoor location for the winter, give it direct sun for 6 to 8 hours a day and water it about once a week. Sown seeds benefit from being sealed inside a bag or placed in a consistently damp paper towel to keep the humidity high. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. The plant parts above the ground can … Snow banana trees might be hardier than some other Ensete species, but they still prefer frost-free, dry, and sheltered conditions during the winter. Mix soil for the banana tree planting using a 5-to-1 ratio of well-draining soil to perlite. You have alternatives for … Find out how to overwinter an Abyssinian banana plant in our video with Monty Don: The first two years the plant struggled to survive due to the harsh winter. For a container plant that you're not able to move indoors, cut the foliage down to soil level after the first frost. Overwintering banana plants is a different story if they’re too big to fit inside. While many people in subtropical climates tend to grow these trees outside in their yard, banana trees can actually thrive in a pot or container inside of your house. Banana plants prefer to be grown in moist, but well drained soil. Susan Lundman began writing about her love of gardening and landscape design after working for 20 years at a nonprofit agency. In the spring, after the last frost date in your area, you can plant your banana tree in the garden again. If it's over-wintered in a greenhouse or other suitably frost-free indoor space, however, this species can still be kept as a perennial. In its native regions in Asia, however, the high-in-iron pulp is consumed by indigenous tribes and is thought to have beneficial medicinal value. If you don't have a propagator, you can place them on top of a warm radiator, or just make sure you regularly change or top up the water. Banana plants need plenty of wrapping in winter to keep them warm. As winter approaches, your banana tree will need some extra care and protection. If you ask people to name tropical plants, banana trees would be near the top of the list. Even better? When you purchase a cold hardy banana tree, you will be given a rhizome—a mass of roots with a starter plant, also known as a sucker, growing out of it. Make sure the plant has plenty of sunlight, 6 hours per day. above the ground and either apply a thick layer of mulch or store those in containers in a cool, dark place for the winter, watering it very minimally. Without protection, the cold weather will decimate them and they’ll have to grow from scratch in spring. Do not use potting soil or peat, as banana trees find this too moist. However, there are hardy banana trees that can grow in cooler zones than usual. plant hardiness zones 10 and above. Avoid exposing the container to temperature extremes. Light: The more sun you can provide, the better.Ensete leaves grown in a spiral from the short central stem and resemble banana leaves, except they are reddish, with a strong red midrib. They will reliably survive winter outdoors in the Coastal and Tropical South (USDA 9-11); in the Lower South (USDA 8), spread a generous layer of mulch around the plant's base in fall to insulate the corm. They do best in warm, humid, tropical-type climates. Ensete species like the snow banana tree are known for being much more difficult to propagate than their banana (Musa) relatives. They like rich and moist soils and plenty of warmth, sunlight and regular feeding. Banana trees winter care is simple. Known and loved for its snow white flesh and delicious flavor reminiscent of vanilla custard, this variety of banana grows between 8 and 15 feet tall. above ground. Snow banana: Plant Type: Tropical perennial: Mature Size: Up to 15 feet tall: Sun Exposure: Full Sun / partial shade: Soil Type: Prefers a fertile and well-drained variety: Soil pH: Tolerates a variety: Bloom Time: Summer: Flower Color: Green / white: Hardiness Zones: 8 to 11: Native Area: Asia Superfruit, right from home. If this is the case, cut the plant down to 6 inches (15 cm.) Growing Conditions . Mulch the roots and protect the stem with horticultural fleece or a thick layer of straw in autumn so it doesn’t succumb to winter frosts. The Dwarf Banana Tree is a tropical plant with broad paddle-shaped leaves that grow out from its stalky center. If you're interested in a dwarf banana variety that grows well in a container, try the dwarf Cavendish banana (Musa 'Dwarf Cavendish'), USDA zones 9 through 11. If you receive your plant in the winter or spring before the expected last frost date you should protect your plant from frosts. Originating in East Asia, The Dwarf Banana Tree is relatively easy to care for, but does require ample humidity. Banana plant care indoors All of the same tips apply when thinking about banana plant care indoors: get a well-draining soil. More on growing bananas: How … My experience is that zone 8 plants do not do well here without a lot of special care. How to Store a Dying Amaryllis Plant in Winter, California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc.: Banana, University of Illinois Extension Gardener's Corner: Overwintering Tropical Plants, University of Illinois Extension: Overwintering Tropical Plants, How to Take Care of a Banana Tree in a Pot, How to Get Colocasia Esculenta to Break Dormancy. The seeds can take at least three months to germinate and should be well spaced. To ensure success, heavy mulching and wrapping of the plant leaves and body would be required. Another Banana plant care and banana plant growing tip video. Your snow banana tree will need a well-drained soil or potting mix. Once the first frost hits, the hardy banana will die back to the ground. Once the first frost hits, the hardy banana will die back to the ground. To over winter your hardy banana, prior to first frost, cut back stems and leaves, leaving 8-10 inches (10-25 cm.) Step 3 How to Care for an Ice Cream Banana Tree. That's what you'll get with the Dwarf Cavendish Banana Tree. Note: The heavy salts in cheaper fertilizers will damage the roots and possibly kill the plant. It can even be kept outdoors over the winter if temperatures are mild enough and it has suitable protection. If you really want to ensure the plant's survival, another way to … A constant daytime temperature of 80 degrees F is also preferred, along with an evening temperature of approximately 67 degrees F. Step 3 Maintain a relative humidity as close to 50 percent as possible. When to cut your banana plant in the Spring. See and discover other items: indoor tree plant, banana plant, banana tree plant, winter fertilizer, tree seed, tropical plant seeds There's a problem loading this … Snow banana trees appreciate plenty of sunlight. Aftercare Instructions: Grow on in warm well lit conditions. Banana trees do not do well in drought conditions since they need to be watered often for proper growth. I even have to wrap my Chinese windmill palms each winter. My folks also used a winter shrub cover (basically a tent for plants) and the banana plant's … They benefit from consistently moist, but not waterlogged, soil, and you should take care not to let them dry out for prolonged periods before rewatering. They appreciate daytime temperatures above 77 degrees Fahrenheit and positioning them on a well-lit windowsill can be a good idea. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Some discoloration of the leaf ends may occur through the winter months, but this won't harm the plant. They've had them for 4 years. There have been reports of this species surviving the winter months outside in zone 7b, providing they have appropriate protection. The ideal temperature for growing banana plant is 79 to 82 degree Fahrenheit, while the growth of the plant comes to a halt at about 50 degree Fahrenheit. Without protection, the cold weather will decimate them and they’ll have to grow from scratch in spring. 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