If you like the first episodes of Torch : The adventurers of Chupacabraa series by Jonathan Cohen that parodies Koh Lanta, you may have noticed that from the first episodes Marc’s character tries to grow a banana tree… by planting a banana in the sand. The unsympathetic character seems convinced that in a few years he will be able to feed his team with delicious bananas thanks to this gesture. Spoiler: This isn’t going to work! If the joke has the merit of making people laugh, it also gives us an opportunity to explore the question. Because it is not uncommon to see banana trees growing in French gardens. When the latter rarely bear fruit, they inspire our outdoor spaces with a touch of aesthetic exoticism. Here we explain how to do that.
Can you plant a banana tree from seed?
If you eat bananas regularly, you may have noticed that the fruit has no seeds. This is not a curiosity of nature, but a genetic manipulation created by humans. In nature, the seeds take up a lot of space in the fruit, making the pulp difficult to reach. People have therefore molded bananas to promote consumption. So there are fruits of banana trees that bear seeds, and you can buy them on the internet to sow directly from your garden or in pots.
If you know someone with a banana tree in their yard, you don’t need to get any seeds. Banana trees reproduce from pieces of rhizome and thus form small plants at the base of their parent. Then simply separate the miniature plant and replant it in your garden, in a well-draining, nutrient-rich clod or in a pot, with clay granules at the bottom of the pot. This method allows not only to save money, but also to know that the chosen variety of banana trees grows correctly in the climatic conditions of your place of residence.
Where and when to plant a banana tree?
Contrary to what one might think, the banana tree is not a shrub but a herbaceous plant. That is why it is called “the tallest grass in the world”. Its size is between 1 and 7 meters, depending on the climatic conditions. To get a beautiful banana tree with beautiful foliage, it is better to choose a hardy or subtropical species that you plant in the spring or summer.
Choose to expose it to the sun and shelter from the wind. If you opt for potted and indoor cultivation, you can install it near a window on the west side. Be careful not to expose it too much to direct sunlight or it may dry out.
How do you maintain a banana tree?
As with any tropical plant grown in pots and indoors, it is important to artificially mimic the climatic conditions of the natural environment. Spray the banana leaves regularly for this. Also water regularly, making sure to let the soil dry out between waterings. Finally, repot every two to three years in the spring in a larger pot.
In the soil also water regularly, about every two days, and fertilizer for green plants every two weeks, except in autumn and winter. Once the temperatures are too low, mulch the base of your plant.
Now you know how to grow a banana tree at home. Discover now how to grow an apricot tree from an apricot kernel.