Do you associate bananas with distant travels? So you think that growing a banana tree at home is an idea on the scale of space flight? Nothing could be further from the truth! Banana plants are pot plants which, if properly cared for, can make an impressive interior decoration. Their aesthetic qualities cannot be overestimated. In the right conditions, you can also look forward to delicious fruit.

Banana plant - a showy plant from the tropics

Many of us associate the banana tree with holiday travel. This is because it grows everywhere in warm regions. The homeland of the banana tree is the Malay Archipelago. However, the tasty fruit is now widely grown in Central America, Australia, Oceania, Africa, Asia and even Turkey. That is, wherever the climate is sufficiently warm and humid. One might wonder what banana plants are doing in Poland. They are very graceful plants that can be successfully grown in pots on the terrace or at home. Banana trees are very often chosen as plants for hotels and plants for restaurants. They then become a striking decoration of the space around the premises. Some species are also popular with lovers of exotics in the garden, as they can forgive even large drops in temperature.

What does a banana plant look like?

The banana plant is a perennial in the banana family. The plant owes its exceptionally ornamental habit to its short, thick stem, from which long lanceolate leaves with a distinctive leaf margin emerge. These are intensely green in colour and form striking plumes at the top of the stem, known as the log. Several years old banana trees can flower if conditions are good enough. The inflorescence of banana trees, heavy and oval, hanging vertically downwards, is another decorative feature of the plant. Under natural conditions, clusters of fruit develop just above it.

How fast does a banana plant grow?

The banana plant grows very quickly. Depending on the variety and under the right conditions, it grows up to 60 cm in one season. As more leaves appear, it gradually sheds those at the bottom. This can be observed especially in winter. This is when the leaves at the bottom are shed quite intensively, which leads some people to fear that something bad is happening to the plant. However, there is no need to worry, as the banana plant is reborn in spring. Under natural conditions, the banana plant grows up to 10-12 metres in height. In our conditions, it reaches up to about 4 metres, and dwarf varieties up to about 2 metres.

Banana tree - how to care?

If you want to grow a banana tree in the ground, it is a good idea to start by choosing the right variety. For our conditions, the most hardy varieties are musa basjoo and musa sikkimensis. These varieties tolerate capricious weather well, from heavy frosts (root ball) to hot weather. However, it is important to remember that even if our variety is considered hardy, we are still dealing with an exotic plant. During the first few seasons, it is best to grow the banana plant in a pot with drainage holes - this will make it easier to move the plant to a cool room for the winter. Older specimens planted in the ground should be cut back to a height of 10-15 cm and covered before winter. The banana tree prefers a sunny and sheltered position - strong winds can damage the leaves. A fertile, fairly permeable soil with a slightly acidic pH (6.0) is best. A portion of expanded clay and horticultural peat can be added to the soil. The plant should be watered generously, but not flooded. It is important that the leaves are not sprinkled during high sun, as they can be scorched. During the growing season, feed the banana plant generously and intensively with a suitable fertiliser.

Banana plant at home

Dwarf banana trees, which grow to around 2 metres in height, are best suited for home cultivation. It is worth remembering that the banana tree likes to be the centre of attention, so it should be grown in large pots (which will accommodate its abundant roots), being the main decoration of the room, accompanied by smaller specimens. As it is an exotic plant it prefers conditions similar to the tropics it is familiar with, so plenty of sunlight and regular watering. However, when growing at home, remember to protect banana plants from direct exposure to heaters or cookers. In spring and summer, the pot with the plant can be put outside, e.g. on a terrace, balcony or in the garden, but remember to take it into a warm house just before the colder months arrive. The banana plant indoors should be watered regularly, especially in summer. Over-watering should be avoided in winter. As the banana plant needs a lot of energy to produce such a large green mass, it is essential to fertilise the plant regularly, e.g. with a fertiliser for palms or ornamental plants.