How To Choose and Plant Banana Trees

Banana trees can add a tropical flare to any area. These plants are very popular and thrive best in warm, humid areas - generally zones 8-9, where the temperature is over 85 degrees and the humidity is 50% or more. However, these hardy, tropical plants can be successfully grown north of those zones with a little more work and care, especially as container plants.

When choosing a banana tree follow these few steps to ensure you get the perfect one:

1. First, determine your available space for growing the banana trees. Choose a type of banana tree that will fit best in your space. Should you purchase short, stocky banana trees or tall, lanky ones?

   Then, decide if you want your banana tree to bear edible fruit, or should the banana tree just be ornamental. If you have decided on a banana tree with edible fruit, then you must decide what type of fruit you would like, dessert fruit or cooking bananas.

   • Tall ornamental banana trees include Bordelon banana, Itinerans Var Gigantea banana, Maurelli banana, Monkey Fingers banana, Japanese Fiber banana and Sekkimensis banana.

   • Short ornamental bananas include Blood banana and Chinese Yellow banana.
   • Cavendish Dwarf banana is a short banana tree that produes edible bananas.
   • Tall, edible banana trees are Double banana, Goldfinger banana, Ice Cream banana, Iholene Red banana, Apple banana, Mysore banana, Orinoco banana, Rajapuri banana, Rose banana, Saba banana, Thousand Fingers banana, Valery banana and Williams Hybrid banana.
   • Cooking bananas include African Rhino Horn banana, Ele Ele banana and Hua Moa banana.

2. If possible, plan a trip to a well-established nursery, preferably one that specializes in fruit trees, to purchase the perfect banana tree.
3. Choose a banana tree that is between 12 and 14 inches high and free from any diseases or insects.                                                                                                        

After choosing the banana tree that is perfect for you, and the threat of frost has passed, it is time to plant it following these simple steps:

1. Decide on the perfect location, if you haven't already. This place should have good drainage, should be protected from the wind and cold weather and should have no more than 30% shade.

2. Dig a planting hole for the carefully chosen banana tree measuring three feet wide by four feet deep.
3. Measure the height of the pot currently holding the banana tree.
4. Using the measurement above, replace the soil in the planting hole with organic matter such as peat moss, potting soil, compost, manure, kitchen scraps and/or pine bark mulch mixed 50/50 with the soil that has been previously removed.
5. Carefully remove the banana tree from its pot and loosen the root ball.
6. Gently place the banana tree with its loosened root ball into the prepared planting hole.
7. The soil should be replaced at the same level over the banana tree as it was in the pot, or maybe a little higher than that.
8. Fill the remaining space around the banana tree in the planting hole with the remaining organic matter and soil mixture.
9. Next, gently pack down the organic matter and soil mixture around the banana tree.
10. Water the newly planted banana tree to settle the roots and eliminate any air pockets that may have formed in the disturbed soil.
11. After watering, fertilize the banana tree with half a cup of slow-release, balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 with micronutrients.

If you follow these steps for choosing and planting the perfect banana tree, you should have a beautiful addition to your landscape in no time.