Cool Climate Bananas or Cold Hardy Bananas are grown for their foliage. Banana species and banana relatives that will handle the cooler temperatures are generally not suitable for fruit production. However some will fruit with a little care.
Frost will still be a problem and over wintering may require some work. However cool growing bananas can provide great ‘Tropical Foliage’ for the garden.
Banana plants for cooler climates include those listed below. Heights are indicative only and advice should be obtained from suppliers are to growing heights and conditions for your local area.
List of Cool Climate Bananas
- Musa sikkimensis or ‘Darjeeling Banana’ – Is from Bhutan and will grow to 5m great purple tinged foliage.
- Musa basjoo ‘Japanese Banana’. – Great foliage plant growing to 1m, Large bright green foliage (Fruit is inedible)
- Musa spp. “Yunnan” Yunnan Banana – Will grow to 2 – 5m, great foliage and cold hardy.
- Musella lasiocarpa ‘Chinese Dwarf Banana’ or ‘Golden lotus banana’
- A banana relative grown for its foliage and flower, fruit is not edible.
- Musa velutina ‘Velvet Banana’, Red Banana – To 2m or 1m in a container, great foliage plant.
- Ensete glaucum or Ensete giganteum or ‘Giant Nepalese Banana’
- Ensete ventricosum or Abyssinian Banana – 6 – 12m
