Australia plant library · fruit

Banana

Musa spp. (e.g. Cavendish, Lady Finger) · Musaceae

Tropical backyard staple.

Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sun: Full sun (6+ hours) in a warm, wind-protected spot (north or north-east aspect).
Soil: Rich, well-drained and reliably moist; dislikes sandy soil.
Water: High. Keep soil consistently moist but not soaked; mulch well.
Hardiness: Tropical and subtropical; frost-free warm spots elsewhere.
Height and spread: 2-6 m.

Guv's tipAfter fruiting, cut out the banana's spent stem. Keep a leader plus two strong suckers and remove the rest. Bag bunches against birds and possums.

Through the year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sow or plant

Timings are for temperate Australia. Tropical and arid gardens follow different seasons.

When to plant

Warm months: spring-summer (Sep-Feb). In the tropics, at the start of the wet season (summer).

Harvest or flowering

A bunch about 9 months or more after planting. Bag bunches against birds, possums and flying foxes.

Pruning

After fruiting, cut out the spent stem and remove dead leaves. Keep a leader plus two strong followers (suckers) and remove the rest.

Making more plants

Suckers or tissue-cultured plants from approved sources only (biosecurity).

Watch out for

Disease

Banana bunchy top

Banana bunchy top virus (spread by the banana aphid, Pentalonia nigronervosa).

Look for: Dark green dot-dash 'Morse code' streaks on leaf veins and midrib; narrow, upright 'bunched' leaves with yellow margins; stunting.

What to do: No cure. Do not move or disturb plants - report to Biosecurity Queensland or NSW DPI. Confined to south-east Queensland and north-east NSW.

Always read and follow the label on any treatment, and check it is approved for use where you live.

Safety and spread

Pets and people: Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA).

Weed risk: BIOSECURITY RESTRICTED: movement restrictions apply to banana plants in Queensland. In NSW a free permit from the Department of Primary Industries has been required to plant any banana, including a single backyard plant (2013 notice). Buy only from approved suppliers; never take suckers from neighbours or buy them online.

Checked against two or more reputable gardening sources. How we check our facts

Keep it by the back door

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