Hardy bananas, banana trees, perennial

Bananas are one of the most exotic plants and anyone who wants an exotic ambience can use them as a potted plants get in the garden. However, it not only spreads a very Mediterranean feeling as a container plant, but is also more than a feast for the eyes when planted out.

Are banana trees hardy here?

It really works, you can grow bananas in our latitudes in the garden and banana plants are no longer unusual in the living room either! Robust varieties can even tolerate sub-zero temperatures, which is why you can leave bananas outside. This is due to that banana plants Perennials are perennials that withdraw completely above ground in winter. They don't grow new leaves until the following spring.

However, not all varieties that are commercially available can be planted permanently in the garden: all bananas of the species enset or the fruit banana must overwinter indoors or in the conservatory.

Hardy banana species

• The Japanese fiber banana Musa Basjoo however, can also hibernate outside. She also has to get along with frosty temperatures in her home country and so she doesn't mind minus temperatures of more than 15 degrees minus. In summer, this type of banana blooms very early and even produces fruit - but: they are very small and inedible. Not exactly how you imagine your bananas in the garden.

• Another very nice type for outside is the Yunnan dwarf banana, which grows to about two meters tall and has very unusual leaves. This plant originally comes from the mountain forests in Tibet and also has nothing against low temperatures.

But one thing you have to do with everyone banana trees consider: They feel good in the fresh air, but need a sunny and wind-protected location. In addition, regular watering is required and a lot fertilizer. In winter they should be protected from excessive cold. The leaves usually die off after the first frost. Then you should cut off this good 50 centimeters above the ground and sprinkle the plant stub with wood ash. This allows the interfaces to dry faster.

Overwinter banana trees

It is recommended to build a kind of basket around the plant with wire for the winter, which is then filled with leaves or straw. To prevent moisture from accumulating, you should cover everything well with foil. The perennial is only freed from its winter coat again at the end of May. Within a short time it then starts to grow vigorously. For example, the hardy banana can grow up to four meters high within one growing season. After three to five years, this species even begins to form yellow banana fruits that are around five centimeters long.

When keeping banana trees outdoors, overwintering is an essential aspect. The perennials need a resting phase in winter, are not fertilized and kept relatively dry. However, they must not dry out. It is important to keep to the resting phase, otherwise the plant will catch up in the spring and only grow sparsely.

There are simple ways to overwinter the banana trees:

• The perennial is sawn off above the ground, the ground is first covered with foliage or breathable fleece, and then with a tarpaulin. If no more frost is to be expected, the protection is removed in the spring and the perennial will sprout again. With this method, the perennials will not grow taller than ten feet by early fall and will not bear fruit.

• Alternatively, a third of the trunk can be sawn off. A wire basket with a diameter of about one meter is placed around the remainder of the trunk, which is preferably filled with beech leaves (these do not rot and rot so quickly). The method is a bit more complex, as ventilation must be provided on frost-free days. In the spring, the first leaves sprout from the middle of the trunk and the perennial begins to grow rapidly.

• Note: This information applies to older banana trees. Annual perennials or offshoots are more sensitive because their roots are not very deeply rooted in the ground and so freeze faster.

If the banana tree has been overwintered properly, it starts to sprout new leaves immediately in spring and forms some offshoots in summer.

light and location

When buying a new banana tree that is to be planted permanently in the garden, it should be in the pot in a shady place for the first few days. Then it goes to a semi-shady place for a few more days and only then to the permanent location, which should be bright and sunny. Gradual accustoming to sunlight avoids burns on the leaves.
Note: Very young banana trees do not tolerate direct sunlight at the beginning.

Pour

Banana trees have a high water requirement and must always be moistened. Therefore, water the perennials regularly, preferably with low-lime water (e.g. rainwater). Banana trees do not tolerate waterlogging. During the dormant phase in winter, the perennials need less water, but must not dry out. Ball dryness is harmful to banana trees.

Fertilize banana trees

Banana trees have a high nutrient requirement. Perennials that are in a sunny spot should be fertilized every 14 days from March to October with a complete fertilizer. Plants that are in a semi-shady spot are only fertilized every four weeks. During the resting phase, fertilizer is applied every six to eight weeks at most and the fertilizer dose is reduced.

propagation of bananas

Banana trees can be propagated by seed or offshoots: Seeds must be soaked in water for 24 hours and then placed in a sand-peat mixture. The seeds germinate in a warm location with a temperature of around 25 °C. Another possibility of propagation is the removal and planting of Kindel, which form banana trees in abundance.

Learn more about potted plants