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The Banana Plant, or Musa “Oriental Dwarf”, is a pet-friendly houseplant with typical paddle-shaped leaves and a fleshy stem.
Latin name
Musa “Oriental Dwarf”
Pronunciation
(“MYOO-zah”)
Common name
Musa paradisiaca
Origin
Tropical Asia
Cultivated bananas are hybrids of various wild species, and are grown variously for their edible fruit or ornamental foliage.
Banana plants are the largest herbaceous plants in the world, and some species can grow as high as a tree, but there is no woody tissue at all, and the strength of the “trunk” is due to the tightly wound whorl of leaf sheaths. They also have a large underground rhizome – a type of creeping underground stem – that seemingly allows bananas to move across a plantation.
Dwarf ornamental bananas, such as “Tropicana” are bold houseplants with typical paddle-shaped leaves borne on a fleshy stem. Some leaves may have purple markings on them.
Non-toxic to pets and humans. It is safe to grow around cats, dogs and children, and some species even produce fruit that is edible and nutritious.
caring for your plant
Light
High light.
Watering
The soil should be kept moist, but not wet. Bananas are very heavy water users and will need to watered quite frequently.
Pruning
Bananas cannot be pruned. Older leaves turn yellow and should be neatly cut off close to the stem. A sharp knife is better than secateurs or scissors.
Feeding
Bananas require quite large amounts of fertilizer. A solution of fertilizer should be added to the water at every watering.
pest & diseases
Banana plants are prone to attack by aphids and mealybugs. Sciarid flies (fungus gnats) may also be a problem if the compost is kept moist, so the use of a top dressing on the surface of the compost is advised.
Our plants are grown in Ecoponic, an alternative to soil. Officially known as a vulkaponic substrate, it replaces traditional compost with a clean, mineral-based medium that helps protect peatlands.
According to the IUCN UK Peatland Programme, “A loss of only 5% of UK peatland carbon would be equal to the UK’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.” As well as storing carbon, the natural wetlands where peat is found are critical to the survival of plants and wildlife. Ecoponic also improves plant health and uses water more efficiently.
Find out more about Ecoponic here.
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