Hardy Banana
Musa basjoo
1 gallon pot
 
Hardy banana is a fast-growing, herbaceous perennial that has a tropical appearance. It has very large, paddle-shaped, bright green leaves that arch from the pseudo-stem. Leaves can grow 2 ft. wide by 6 ft. long! The thick false stem is created by overlapped or whorled leaves. Clusters of creamy or yellow tubular flowers appear during the summer. They are followed by small ornamental inedible fruits. 
 
The hardy banana prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained, humus-rich, or loam soils. If planted in containers, they should be repotted every other year, If planted outdoors, it is best to plant them in a sheltered area to protect them from strong winds. It grows best in consistently moist soils and should not be allowed to dry out. It is also recommended to fertilize the plant regularly during the growing season. They may be divided about every 5 years. The fruit set takes 12-24 months to appear. After the hardy banana flowers and produces fruits, the pseudo-stem dies. The roots generate new shoots or pups that will form a new pseudo-stem.
 
The hardy banana is best used as a tropical specimen or a container plant. It can be brought indoors for winter before the first frost and placed in a sunny room for overwintering. Outdoors, the rhizomes are cold hardy to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit if they are properly pruned and mulched to protect them from freezing temperatures. The plant growth will die back to the ground during the winter in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8. It is recommended that after the frost kills the leaves, the stems should be cut back to 2 feet high. Burlap, bubble wrap, or plastic wrap may be used to wrap the remaining stems. A thick layer of mulch should be applied around the base of the plant to protect the roots. 
 
Tender perennial
Zones 5–10
Full sun to part sun
Grows 6–12 ft. tall x 4–8 ft. wide
Moderate to high water needs; prefers rich, consistently moist soil
Generally pest-resistant
Foliage interest May–Oct