(mew' sah)

Common name: Banana

Family: Musaceae (Banana)

Height x width: 6-20' x 6-10ft

Growth habit: upright false stems (pseudostems) of leaf blade sheaths tightly clasped together, arching to fan shaped, suckering rhizomes forming large clumps

Growth rate: rapid in warm climates, slow in cool

Foliage: large, oblong to paddle-shaped, 3 to 10 feet long, variously green depending on species, entire, occasionally split to midrib

Flowers: hanging clusters of tubular flowers on a terminal spike, usually pendulous, variously colored, one inch or more long; forming the well-known edible fruit

Hardiness: USDA zone 10

Soil: loamy

Light: sun

Pests and Problems: red spider mites, aphids and mealybugs indoors; wind causes leaf tatter

Landscape habit, uses: specimen, containers

Other interest: native to Southeast Asia, No. Queensland, India and Tropical Africa; the more ornamental species listed here, with main edible species being x paradisiaca and its cultivars; similar design effect but smaller plants from Canna; named for Antonius Musa, physician to Augustus--the first Roman emperor

Other culture: overwinter indoors before frost as very frost sensitive; protect from wind or place in sheltered site to avoid leaf tearing

Propagation: ripe seed, stored seed after water soaking 24 hours, division of suckers from clumps

Species:

• acuminata (ah-cue-mi-naa' tah)-- variable, paddle-shaped leaves 6-10 feet long, false stems (pseudostems); pendent pear-shaped flowers white to yellow with dull purple bracts; species of the main ornamental cultivars:
• *'Dwarf Cavendish'--most seen, leaves to 5 ft long, yellow flowers with red bracts
• 'Dwarf Red'--as above, only red striped leaves
• 'Zebrina'--Zebra-leaf banana, leaves to 10 feet long, striped red
• cavendishii: acuminata
• coccinea: uranoscopus
• ornata (or-naa' tah)-- RHS award of merit, leaves to 6 feet long, glaucous blue-green and waxy; yellowish-orange flowers, purplish pink bracts
• uranoscopus (ur-aa-no-scoo' puss)-- RHS award of merit, reddish-green stems, oval to elliptic leaves to 3 feet; erect spirals of tubular yellow flowers, bright red bracts
• velutina (vel-uu' tin-ah)--leaves to 3 feet long, dark green; efect, white flowers, purplish bracts

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