Musa ornata aka Flowering Banana

Musa ornata, or flowering banana, is in the banana family, Musaceae. Its native range spans the eastern Himalaya to Myanmar. This evergreen plant is a herbaceous perennial. It has soft stems and lives for more than two years. It grows from rhizomes, or underground stems, and sends up suckers. Gardens grow it chiefly for its leaves and flowers. Growth is slow; plants take around 10–20 years to mature. It suits pots, greenhouses, and large rooms with good sun.

Garden plants grow 6–9 feet (1.8–2.7 metres) tall. They spread 5–7 feet (1.5–2.1 metres) wide. The RHS gives a greater top height: 13 feet (4 metres). Broad leaves look like paddles and range from green to blue-green. They reach 6 feet (1.8 metres) long. Their width reaches 1 foot (0.3 metres). The leaf sheaths overlap to form a pseudostem, not a woody trunk. Wind can tear these large leaves. Choose a site with shelter.

Upright spikes bear orange-yellow flowers shaped like tubes. Pink-purple bracts surround them. Plants may bloom from spring through autumn. Young plants may need time to settle in before they bloom. Cutting pot plants to the ground each year may stop blooms. Small, smooth bananas then form and turn greenish-yellow. They grow about 0.25 feet (0.08 metres) long. They hold many black seeds. The fruit is edible, but its small size and seeds limit its appeal. Each pseudostem dies once it has flowered and borne fruit. New suckers take its place.

Grow this banana in rich soil that drains well. Give it full sun, with some shade in midday heat. Keep soil moist while it grows, and feed at set intervals. It accepts clay, loam, sand, and a broad pH range. Sources list USDA zones 9–11 and UK hardiness H1B. In cold places, bring pots indoors before frost. Give less water and feed during winter care indoors. Lift plants from the ground where winters are too cold.

Use flowering banana as a focal plant or beside water. Its bold leaves suit borders with shelter and tropical-style gardens. Grow new plants from seed, by division, or from suckers split off. Remove old leaves as needed. Serious pests and diseases seldom cause trouble. Still, greenhouse pests need care. Watch for aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs. Scale, thrips, and fruit flies can also pose problems. Reports also list risks from anthracnose, wilt, and mosaic virus.