Perfect Plants Cold Hardy Basjoo Banana Tree

The Most Cold Hardy Banana Variety on the Market!

Say hello to a tropical plant paradise right in your own backyard with these cold hardy banana trees – Musa basjoo!

These lush ornamental banana trees can add a touch of the islands to any landscape—even in freezing temperatures! This banana cultivar can grow in all 50 states and in the warmer months can grow up to two feet a week.

Grows best across the United States in USDA hardiness zones 4-10 and has excellent winter hardiness. The banana tree can go through cold winters and withstand winter temperatures down to -20°F with proper mulching techniques.

What many of us mistake as a trunk of a banana tree is actually a “false stem“. All parts of the tree are herbaceous and the trunk is a roll up of green banana leaves waiting to emerge.

Basjoo Banana Care

The Basjoo banana tree will grow 10 to 15 feet tall in maturity and does best in full sun to partial sunlight. It is adaptable to a variety of soils as long as you mulch it for winter care. Best growth will happen in medium, well-drained soils and warm airy temperatures. It can grow up to 1-2 feet during the spring growing season.

Strong winds and freezing temperatures in the colder climates may cause the stalks and green leaves to die back to the ground level. Banana Tree Care winter includes pruning the banana plants down to the ground or 1 foot above and heavily mulching with organic material. If you live in an area with mild winters, your leaves may wilt and droop after a cold winter night. With these hardy banana plants, you can cut the leaves off in late winter or early spring to encourage new growth.

With a large layer of mulch, the roots will stay safe under the warmth of the soil. In the spring new stalks will shoot up from the cold hardy banana tree rhizomes replacing the dead ones from the previous year.

Banana plants will grow best with the addition of an annual application of slow release fertilizer at the top of the root ball.

This banana fruit tree is easy to grow, very fast growing, and is a beautiful plant that will compliment any landscape. It will stay compact even at full size and will grow to the planting condition you put it in.

Bring a lush feel of the tropics to your home garden with the Musa Basjoo Banana plant for sale.

Check out the Ornamental Banana Grow Guide and Growing Fruit Trees in Containers for more information on planting and growing ornamental bananas.