Olive & Palm Mountain

Musa Basjoo (Japanese banana)

The Musa basjoo is the ultimate plant for creating a bold, tropical, "jungle" aesthetic in a UK garden. Despite its exotic appearance, it is remarkably cold-hardy. It produces enormous, paddle-shaped, bright green leaves that add an immediate, dramatic architectural layer to any planting scheme. It grows rapidly during the summer months, creating a lush, leafy canopy that works perfectly as a focal point or a backdrop for other tropical-style plants.

Size (H × W)

2.7 Meters Height cm

Sunlight

Full Sun to Partial Shade. To achieve the fastest, most vigorous growth and the largest leaves, provide a sunny, warm position. While it can handle some light shade, it thrives where it can soak up plenty of warmth.

Watering

High. This plant is a "hungry" and "thirsty" grower. During the summer, it needs plenty of water to support its fast growth and large leaves. Keep the soil consistently moist, and during hot, dry spells, water it thoroughly and often.

Soil & Drainage

Loves rich, fertile, moisture-retentive, but well-drained soil. If you are planting it in the ground, incorporate plenty of organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure to feed it and hold moisture. If it’s in a container, ensure it has a large enough pot to support its size and use a good-quality, water-retentive compost.