You will receive a healthy small Dwarf Cavendish Banana starter plant ready for planting. Hardiness zone: 9-11 in the ground; 4-11 potted on a patio or inside. Often Dwarf Banana plants are found growing in parts of Asia for mass cultivation & they are sometimes grown as tall specimen plants in gardens at the back of borders to add a touch of the tropics. However as they need significant Winter protection it’s relatively uncommon for them to be grown like this by the average gardener. It might therefore seem an unlikely houseplant but actually it’s been grown indoors since the Victorian times, where they were proudly displayed in their humid, warm & sunny conservatories. Of course the Victorian conservatories were a little different (and significantly bigger) than the ones we have today, however the basic principle is similar. Although true Banana plants are far too large for any house, the Dwarf Musa Banana, or Dwarf Cavendish, fits right in. They can of course be grown in other rooms of the house, but a conservatory is an ideal situation, often giving humid, bright & spacious living accommodation which this plant craves & ultimately needs in order to do well. These Dwarfs can still easily reach 6ft, so with this in mind a young new plant will live happily on a window ledge for a few years at most but that’s it, afterwards the space will have run out & you will need somewhere bigger. They’re somewhat fussy when it comes to care & the leaves although massive & quick growing are incredibly weak & susceptible to damage. Feeding, copious watering & large containers are necessary & don’t even think about keeping them in a cold room over Winter or your Banana Plant will be a mushy mess by Spring. They grow quickly when it’s warm, rewarding you with one new leaf every week or so, they look truly stunning & unique all the time, adding a tropical interest to any area. If allowed to reach its statuesque proportions, it will dominate in a graceful balanced way that very few houseplants can ever match. Will you get Banana fruit to eat? It’s a possibility, but conditions will have to be exceptional so best not to hold your breath. Light The Common Banana must have good light, but will actually accept a range of light conditions from part shade to full sun. Young plants & new leaves may scorch in full Summer sun especially if your watering routine is stingy. Watering A well established Banana plant will need copious watering during the warmest months of the year & a good deal more than most house plants during Spring & Autumn / Fall. This is down to its large leaf surface area which allows a lot of transpiration to take place - a good thing in the dry atmosphere of a centrally heated home. Water when the top 2 inches of compost is dry. in a very bright, warm spot you could be doing this as much as every other day in Summer. Significantly cut back in Winter though otherwise you will be inviting rot to take over. Humidity The leaves might look tough but are
