In the tropics, bananas thrive everywhere. They enrich the fruit range worldwide with over 100 different varieties. Some banana plants bring momentum to your own garden. We reveal what you need.

Impressive dimensions in our realms

In their homeland, banana trees reach considerable heights of up to 8 meters. They do not reach this growth height in our region, but bananas in the home garden produce flowers up to 100 centimeters long. With favorable climatic conditions and a suitable location, these also produce fruit. When ripe, they are edible.

Suitable varieties and their growth heights

Musa basjoo bananas are the best. In Germany, sales offer Sakhalin and Nana varieties. These are particularly resistant. In addition, the following Asian outdoor bananas from high mountain regions thrive wonderfully:

  • Musa balbisiana (Japanese fiber banana; maximum 3 meters)
  • Musa cheesmanii (Cheesman banana; 3 to 4 meters)
  • Musa itinerans (2.5 to 3 meters)
  • Musa sikkimensis (Darjeeling banana; 3.5 to 5 meters)
  • Musa yunnanensis (wild forest banana, 3 to 5 meters)

Fit through the winter

In temperate areas of Germany you can overwinter these bananas outside. In the wine-growing regions in particular, the banana plants spend the winter outside with the help of a special frost protection.

Frost protection tips:

  • Cover root ball with a thick layer of foliage (at least 40 centimeters thick). This protection should be applied before the first frost. It persists until after the last night frosts in spring.
  • Keeping the banana trees in buckets is suitable for cold regions. So you can easily overwinter them in the conservatory or in the frost-protected greenhouse.

tips and tricks

With species-appropriate care and a consistently warm spot, the banana surprises with a wonderful bloom. Harvesting sweet fruits is also possible. However, there are no frost-hard fruit bananas yet.

FT

Category:

Herbs