Dwarf Banana

Dwarf Banana Care

Musa 'oriental Dwarf'

What is the plant

Musa or the Banana is one of the most well known fruits in the world, as well as being delicious and nutritious some varieties can be grown easily and effectively as houseplants.Banana plants grown as houseplants thrive in humid and brightly lit areas like conservatories and garden rooms.Often Dwarf Banana plants are found growing in parts of Asia for mass cultivation and they are sometimes grown as tall specimen plants in gardens at the back of borders to add a touch of the tropics. However as they need significant Winter protection it's relatively uncommon for them to be grown like this by the average gardener.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

min 10°C

Hardiness zone

9 - 11

Difficulty

Medium

How to Care for the Plant

Water
A well established Banana plant will need copious watering during the warmest months of the year and a good deal more than most house plants during Spring and Autumn / Fall. This is down to its large leaf surface area which allows a lot of transpiration to take place - a good thing in the dry atmosphere of a centrally heated home.Water when the top 4cm / 2 inches of compost is dry. In a very bright, warm spot you could be doing this as much as every other day in Summer. Significantly cut back in Winter though otherwise you will be inviting rot to take over.An established plant will need copious watering during the warmest months
Fertilizer
This plant has large leaves which form very rapidly during the growing season, so much so a brand new leaf every 10 days isn't uncommon, therefore feeding on a frequent basis is a must to fuel that level of growth.Feed well every 2 or 3 weeks using either a general liquid garden fertiliser such as Miracle Grow or if you make your own, that should be fine to use also. You can of course use a feed designed for house plants too. Do not fertilise when the plant isn't growing or if you don't want to support any new growth, for example if it's already overgrown and further height is undesired.
Sunlight
The Common Banana must have good light, but will actually accept a range of light conditions from part shade to full sun. Young plants and new leaves may scorch in full Summer sun especially if your watering routine is stingy.

Disease diagnosis

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Soil
Sand, Clay, Chalk, Loam
Temperature
There isn't really a upper temperature limit found in the home that is damaging. Although heat pockets, or sun traps such as in between windows and curtains should be avoided as they often heat up too rapidly for the plant to adapt.
Popularity
810 people already have this plant 203 people have added this plant to their wishlists