Banana 'Ice Cream' (Musa)
Regular price $22.95The Ice Cream banana, also known as the Blue Java banana, is highly regarded as one of the best tasting Musa varieties of all time. This is mainly in part due to the plants light vanilla, ice cream flavor, and creamy texture. The outer skin of the fruit is a beautiful blueish-green. The fruit will maintain it's amazing amazing flavor whether it is eaten raw or cooked! This species is aromatic and described as having a pleasant vanilla fragrance.
This cultivar is cold tolerant, and easily adaptable to sub-tropical and temperate climates! It is fast growing, easily capable of reaching heights of 15-20 ft! Even if Ice Cream Banana freezes back in the winter, it will regrow as long as temperatures don't dip lower than 20 degrees. The 'Ice Cream' Banana cultivar is well suited for containers, as long as it is over-wintered indoors. This plant is especially useful in landscaping for providing shade. It also makes a lovely and attractive ornamental, especially with the unique color of the blue banana fruits.
Plant Type
Fruit Tree / Evergreen Perennial Herb
Did you know? The banana plant is actually an evergreen perennial herb, not a tree! The large ‘trunk’ is actually a pseudostem, which is made of bulky, leafy layers that emerge and wither over time.
Harvest Season
Year-round
With good care, bananas will fruit within the first 15-18 months of planting.
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. Banana plants can be grown easily in containers and overwintered indoors if needed.
Banana plants are fast-growing, and prone to reproducing new plants through mini clones known as suckers.
Soil & Moisture
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 enough water, sunlight, and nutrients.
Light Requirements
Full Sun, Part Shade
Self-Fertile
Yes
Growth Rate
Fast
Zone Hardiness
Outdoors 9-11 with frost protection; Patio/Greenhouse 4+
