Blood Banana (Musa acuminata var. zebrina)
The Blood Banana is a small banana variety that grows 5 to 8 feet high in its native Indonesia. It is an attractive ornamental and great container plant that can be kept to a 3 to 5-foot height.
The 6 to 8-foot-long, blue-green leaves are splashed with red blotches on top, and the bottoms of the leaves are solid maroon. Spikes of yellow flowers enclosed by large reddish-purple bracts bloom in the summer, then develop into small, edible, dark maroon bananas. These are herbaceous plants rather than trees, so their “trunks” are actually red pseudostems made up of overlapping leaf sheaths. After they flower and fruit, Blood Bananas grow new, baby plants to replace the previous ones. They are easy to grow and add color and interest to a patio, around a pool, or even as a houseplant.
Blood Bananas grow best in full sun to partial shade in rich, moist, well-draining soil that is not allowed to dry out. They are hardy to USDA zones 9 to 11.
Plant Type:
Fruit Tree / Evergreen Perennial Herb
Did you know? The banana plant is actually an evergreen perennial fruiting herb, not a tree! The large ‘trunk’ is actually a pseudostem, which is made of bulky, leafy layers that emerge and wither over time. Banana plants are fast-growing, and prone to reproducing new plants through mini clones known as suckers.
Harvest Season:
Year-round, but most predominantly in the warm summer months. With good care, bananas are capable of producing fruit within the first 15-18 months of planting. It will take 9-15 months before the tree starts flowering and an additional 2-6 months before the bananas are ready to be picked.
(Expect approximately 3-6 months less time from planting to fruit for Banana plants in our XL Pot Size)
Mature Size:
Really varies depending on variety. Some dwarf banana varieties grow only to 2-3 ft where other banana types reach up to 40 ft tall. Most banana plants can be grown easily in containers and overwintered indoors if needed. We recommend a minimum 7 gal. planter size.
Banana plants are fast-growing, and prone to reproducing new plants through mini clones known as suckers.
Soil & Moisture:
Thrives in ample humidity! Bananas like to be planted high on a mound in rich, moist well-drained soil, nitrogen-rich soil, and humid conditions similar to their native areas tropical and subtropical regions. In well-drained soil, bananas can almost never get too much water, sunlight, and nutrients. Water regularly to maintain leaves and promote fruit production.
Light Requirements:
Full Sun, Part Shade
Self-Fertile:
Yes
Growth Rate:
Fast, Very Fast
Zone Hardiness:
Outdoors 9-11 with frost protection; Patio/Greenhouse 4+
Propagation:
Our bananas are grown from tissue cultures and are capable of fruiting within 1 year.
