Dwarf banana
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7Will it grow where I live?
Dwarf banana is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 10): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
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Profile
- Family
- Musaceae
- Habit
- perennial
- Height
- 4 m
- Spread
- 4 m
- Growth
- very fast
- Lifespan
- 10 years
- First yield
- after 1 year
- Yield per plant
- up to 30 kg a year
- Yield in cultivation
- up to 30 t/ha
- Energy yield
- 2000 kcal per m² a year
- Hardiness
- zone 10–12
- Shade tolerance
- partial shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- semi-dry – very moist
- pH
- 5.5 – 7.5
Flowering & harvest
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Fruit harvest |
Uses
Other uses: Leaves (packaging, decoration, picnic mat); leaves, shoots, stems & bark (fibre) (high-quality fabrics, silk-like carpets, paper..) +mulch;
Notable
Special features: Grows up to 2400 m altitude; Requires high, even rainfall (1200–3600mm/yr); Wind-protected! otherwise leaves tear; Daytime temperatures: 23°-33°C; Night temperatures <18°C reduce flavour; Wild bananas are diploid = full of seeds + usually inedible; >1000 triploid cultivars ~seedless; Well-known cultivar of this species: 'Dwarf Cavendish'; Otherwise Musa × paradisiaca
Frequently asked questions
Dwarf banana: how big does it get?
Dwarf banana (Musa acuminata) grows as a perennial and reaches roughly 4 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 4 m. Growth is very fast.
Dwarf banana: what site does it need?
Dwarf banana tolerates partial shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range semi-dry – very moist. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.5.
Dwarf banana: is it hardy?
Dwarf banana is listed as hardy in zone 10–12 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Dwarf banana: will it grow in Central Europe?
Dwarf banana is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 10): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
Dwarf banana: when does it flower?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers from May to June.
Dwarf banana: when is it harvested?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate the fruit ripens from August to September.
Dwarf banana: when does it start cropping, and how much?
Dwarf banana crops in its first year. A mature plant gives up to 30 kg a year, in cultivation up to 30 t per hectare. Figures assume a good site; variety, soil and climate shift them considerably.
Dwarf banana: is it poisonous?
No toxicity is recorded for Dwarf banana. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
Dwarf banana: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 9/10, Medicinal 8/10, Other uses 7/10.
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