Banana Musa x paradisiaca
Banana (Musa x paradisiaca) is an evergreen perennial fruit plant in the Musaceae family. It grows 2.5–4.5 m (8.2–15 ft) tall and 2–3.5 m (6.6–11 ft) wide, wants full sun and high water, and is hardy to about 2 °C (36 °F). Space plants about 3 m (10 ft) apart.
Plan Banana in your garden →
Free. Draw your beds, then watch it grow through the year in 2D and 3D.
Banana at a glance
| Type | Perennial fruit plant, evergreen |
|---|---|
| Family | Musaceae |
| Mature height | 2.5–4.5 m (8.2–15 ft) |
| Mature spread | 2–3.5 m (6.6–11 ft) |
| Spacing | 3 m (10 ft) centre to centre |
| Sun | Full sun, at least 6 h of direct sun a day |
| Water | High; drought tolerance none, waterlogging tolerance none |
| Cold hardiness | About 2 °C (36 °F) once established (roughly USDA zone 10) |
| Heat stress | Likely above about 38 °C (100 °F) |
| Flowering | from about June for 4–9 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones) |
| Wind tolerance | None |
| Pollinator value | Moderate |
| Edible | Yes: ripe fruit, flower buds |
| Common in gardens of | 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇹🇭 Thailand, 🇸🇬 Singapore, 🇲🇽 Mexico, 🇵🇪 Peru, 🇦🇺 Australia, 🇮🇳 India, 🇻🇳 Vietnam, 🇮🇩 Indonesia, 🇵🇭 Philippines, 🇲🇾 Malaysia, 🇰🇪 Kenya, 🇳🇬 Nigeria, 🇪🇹 Ethiopia, 🇨🇴 Colombia |
Is Banana toxic?
- People: not known to be toxic
- Cats: not known to be toxic
- Dogs: not known to be toxic
Banana is non-toxic to people and pets.
If a child or pet may have eaten part of a plant, call a poison centre or vet straight away.
Companion planting: what to grow with Banana
No well-documented helpful pairing. Group it with plants that like full sun and high water.
See Banana in a botanical garden
It grows in these sample gardens, which you can walk through in 3D:
- The Huntington (5 plants)
- UC Botanical Garden, Berkeley (1 plants)
- Gardens by the Bay (3 plants)
- China National Botanical Garden (2 plants)
- Missouri Botanical Garden (2 plants)
- Denver Botanic Gardens (2 plants)
- Na ʻĀina Kai Botanical Gardens (2 plants)
- Jardin botanique de Montréal (1 plants)
- Kew: glasshouses and rock garden (2 plants)
- Thai tropical garden (3 plants)
Questions about Banana
- How far apart should I plant Banana?
- About 3 m (10 ft) apart, centre to centre. A mature plant spreads 2–3.5 m (6.6–11 ft).
- Does Banana need full sun?
- Full sun: at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
- How much water does Banana need?
- High water. Drought tolerance is none and waterlogging tolerance none.
- How cold-hardy is Banana?
- It tolerates about 2 °C (36 °F) once established, roughly USDA zone 10.
- When does Banana flower?
- From about June for 4–9 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones).
- Is Banana poisonous to cats and dogs?
- For cats it is not known to be toxic; for dogs not known to be toxic; for people not known to be toxic. Banana is non-toxic to people and pets.
- What grows well with Banana?
- There is no well-documented companion pairing for Banana. Group it with plants that like the same sun (full sun) and water (high).
Sources and evidence
Evidence grade C (C: plausible, mixed evidence).
- ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, ASPCA
- FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56 — Crop Evapotranspiration, FAO
- RHS Plant Finder, Royal Horticultural Society
- University extension gardening guides (general), Various land-grant university extensions
Notes and assumptions
- Typical garden-cultivar values; varieties differ.
- Tender, wind-shredded leaves; each pseudostem fruits once.
Reference values for planning, not horticultural, veterinary or medical advice. Varieties, soils and local climates differ: check with a local nursery or extension service.
Related plants
- Enset (false banana) Ensete ventricosum
- Strawberry Fragaria x ananassa
- Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum
- Dwarf apple tree Malus domestica
- Raspberry Rubus idaeus
- Blackberry Rubus fruticosus agg.
- Grapevine Vitis vinifera
- Common fig Ficus carica