1/10

Banana

4.3 out of 5 (15 experiences)

Large, lush leaves

Fast grower

About Banana

The banana, native to Central America, is a staple crop and has been adored by humans for over 10,000 years! 🍌 These potassium rich fruits are most often clones of the Cavendish variety and lack seeds. Their leaves, fruits, and flowers delight folks worldwide, and are used in everything from breakfast to dessert! 🍨

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Musa acuminata

Genus

Musa

Family

Musaceae

Order

Zingiberales

Also known as

Cavendish Banana and Banana Musa 'Little Prince'

How to care for Banana

💦 Water

How often to water your Banana

Banana needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Banana in your home

Banana love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Banana does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Banana in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Banana

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Banana: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Banana after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #Banana

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Banana can be challenging to care for, according to some plant parents. Check out the reviews down below to learn from their experiences!

How to Grow Banana →

Benefits of Growing Banana →

Common Banana Problems →

Outdoor Care Guide for Banana →

💦 Water Needs

Banana prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Banana Water Frequency →

Banana Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Banana requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Banana Light Requirements →

Banana Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Banana is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Is Banana Edible? →

Banana Toxicity to Cats →

Banana Toxicity to Dogs →

Banana Toxicity to Humans →

💨 Humidity

Banana doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.

Banana Humidity Needs →

🪴 Soil

Banana does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Banana →

Best Pots for Banana →

When and How to Successfully Repot Banana →

What Are Healthy Banana Roots →

💩 Fertilizer

Banana is a fast growing plant and may deplete the nutrients in its soil over time. Replenish them with a gentle organic fertilizer or compost every 1-2 months depending on your location and season. Fertilize more often during the growing season and in warmer and brighter climates.

How Much and When to Fertilize Banana →

🌎 Native Region

Banana is native to Tropical and Subtropical Asia to the West Pacific.

🌸 Flowers

Yes, you may see your Banana bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.

Banana Flowers →

Is Banana an Annual Plant? →

Is Banana a Perennial Plant? →

Banana Pollination Guide →

Common Banana Flower Problems →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Banana grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Banana Lifecycle →

Banana Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Banana →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Banana can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9a-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Banana Temperature Tolerance →

Banana Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with Banana →

When to Plant Banana →

How to Plant Banana →

Where to Plant Banana →

Winter Care for Banana →

Best Companion Plants for Banana →

Is Banana a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

How to Propagate Banana →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Banana, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

Common Bugs Affecting Banana →

What Eats Banana? →

Care Summary for Banana

Banana

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Large, lush leaves 10

Fast grower 9

Survivor 8

Browns easily 6

Easy to propagate 3

Pest magnet 1

Blooms easily 1

@Dana

4 Plants

85 XP

The Dalles, OR

11/10/2021

Easy plant - grows fast- water when dry - and I mist it because they like humid. I move outside in late spring (temps above 45-50 degrees f. It will have pups (babies) you can dig up early spring and give to friends. It is windy where I live (Pacific Northwest) so leaves tear or shred- but I’m ok with that. Looks cool. Plant is tall ? I’m not sure how tall it will grow? My ceilings are only 8-9 ft tall. I cut back in dead yellow old leaves. I don’t peal them down the stalk. I wait until the cut area leaves are dry and dead. Then I trim it nice. Also no bugs!!! I’ve not seen earwigs, stink bugs, etc!!! Nothing

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Easy to propagate

Survivor

Pest magnet

Banana plant photo by Dana named Musa black thia bannan on Greg, the plant care app.

@@kirbyfanacc

19 Plants

529 XP

Basingstoke, England

07/29/2021

a cute little plant, adds to the general jungle feel but can easily be lost next to other better plants cough cough monstera

Banana plant photo by @kirbyfanacc named Wall-E on Greg, the plant care app.

@@nostalg.iia

68 Plants

969 XP

06/16/2021

This plant has been on my wish list for a while and I finally got one! I recommend wiping the leaves every so often, however be careful and delicate with this plant as it scars quite easily on the leaves. I have placed this plant in the conservatory and found that it loves it there, it has just put out a new leaf and already it is rapidly growing another one!

Large, lush leaves

Fast grower

Banana plant photo by @nostalg.iia named George on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Leya_gardddd

4 Plants

94 XP

Ayr, Scotland

06/06/2021

This plant can grow but also can die very fast.

Large, lush leaves

Browns easily

Survivor

Banana plant photo by @Leya_gardddd named Ben on Greg, the plant care app.

@@pinkluva

10 Plants

392 XP

Vancouver, WA

04/21/2021

It loves my grow light! I set it outside to acclimate it after the weather became warmer and didn’t realize it would get down into the 30s at night. It did just fine and now it’s been outside for two days and still doing well. I will be planting it into the ground soon where it will get full sun.

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves