Musa lasiocarpa

Chinese yellow banana

• Position: full sun to partial shade
• Soil: fertile, moist but well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: July to September
• Hardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection)
  
  Thought to be extinct only a decade ago, this handsome banana was found growing in remote regions of the Himalayas in southwest China. This clump-forming banana has huge, paddle-like, bright green leaves and mature specimens will produce long-lasting yellow, summer flowers. As the flower develops, the original plant will start to die, but it will produce off shoots and will continue to thrive. In the winter, or during a cold snap the foliage will brown off, but if the root is kept protected the plant will bounce back and continue to grow as soon as the temperatures rise again.
  
  
• Garden care: Though the root is fairly hardy the foliage does need to be protected with a mulch of fleece and straw in autumn.
  
  
  • Eventual Height: 1.5m
  • Eventual Spread: 0.75m
  Musa lasiocarpa - Chinese yellow banana Huge leaves and yellow flowers