The Muses, or better known as banana trees, They are plants of the genus Musaceae. Some are known for their rich bananas, and others for their ornamental beauty, but what they all have in common is that they grow very fast. In a very few years they can reach six meters.
They are very easy to care plantswhich should never be short of water, as they live near swamps and wetlands, in tropical rainforests around the world.
Origin and characteristics of banana trees
Banana trees are megaforbias, that is, giant perennial herbs, belonging to the genus Musa originating from the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, but which have managed to become naturalized in the Middle East, Africa, America and the Mediterranean. They present a rhizomatous underground stem from which the leaves are born. These are simple, whole and generally large, with a size of up to 3 or 4 meters.
The flowers are hermaphroditic or unisexual, and are grouped in spikes or panicles with spathe. When a stem blooms, it dies, which is why at least one sucker must always be left behind, which sprouts from the rhizome. The fruits have the shape of a berry or capsule, inside which we can find -but not always- dark colored seeds.
Main species
Acuminate muse
Image – Wikimedia Commons / Miya.m
Known as the Malaysian banana or red banana, it is a native Australasian herb. It reaches a height of 7 meters, and has a tendency to produce numerous suckers from the rhizome. The leaves are long, up to 3 meters long by 60cm wide. The fruit, called plantain, is a false edible berry about 8 to 13cm long and up to 3cm in diameter.which rarely contains seeds.
It resists very weak frosts down to -2ºC once adult and acclimatized, but prefers mild, warm climates.
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Red banana (Musa acuminata)
muse basjoo
Image – Wikimedia / Illustratedjc
Known as the Japanese banana, it is a species native to southern China that reaches a maximum height of 8,2 meters, although it normally does not exceed 6m. Its leaves are up to 2 meters long by 70cm wide. The fruit is a false berry about 10cm long by 2-3cm wide, inedible.
It resists up to -15ºC, but at those temperatures only the rhizome survives if it is well protected. The aerial part (stem, leaves) is maintained as long as the temperature does not drop below -4ºC, although it may suffer damage.
Heavenly Muses
Image – Wikimedia Commons / David J. Stang
Known as plantain, banana, banana, banana, mole or banana, it is a herb that grows to a height of 7 meters, with leaves up to 3 meters long by 90cm wide. The fruit is a false berry between 7 and 30cm long and up to 5cm wide, edible.
You don’t like the cold too much. It is a plant that will grow well in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates where the temperature does not drop below -3ºC.
What is the care of banana trees?
Location
To the banana trees they will have to be planted in a place in the garden where they have a lot of direct lightand where it can grow without problems. You have to think that they are plants that take up a lot of space, so it is advisable to plant them at a minimum distance of 3 meters from other tall plants.
Distance between banana trees
If we take into account its characteristics (stems up to 30cm thick, leaves up to 4 meters long, production of suckers) the ideal would be to plant them at a distance of about 6 meters. But I will also tell you that if you are going to remove said suckers, that distance may be less, 4-5m.
Earth
- the garden: in a land with good drainage. If the one we have compacts easily, we can make a hole larger than 1m x 1m, and with the earth that we have removed, we can mix it with perlite (for sale here!) for instance.
- Flower pot: They are not plants that can be in pots for a long time, unless we get one of at least 60cm in diameter (at least) for more or less the same depth.
Irrigation
It needs frequent waterings, every day in spring and summer, and about four times a week in autumn-winter. In the event that it rains frequently in our area, we can water from time to time.
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If you want to pay, recommended to use an organic compostlike guano (for sale here!) or manure from some herbivorous animal (cow, horse, …), since it is a matter of plants whose fruits are for consumption.
If a chemical fertilizer is used, it is very important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and respect the safety period that must be left before harvesting the fruits.
We will pay them from spring to early fall.
Multiplication
Banana trees are plants that they multiply by seeds and by suckers. Let us know how to proceed in each case:
Seeds
The seeds are sown in summer-autumnas soon as they have been extracted from the fruits. Do not wait for spring as they have a very short viability period.
The step by step to follow is as follows:
- First, we will fill a seedling tray (for sale here!) with soil for seedlings (for sale here!).
- Then we will sow a maximum of two seeds in each socket.
- Next, we will sprinkle a little sulfur (for sale here!) to prevent fungus.
- Finally, we will water and place the seedbed outside, in semi-shade.
Keeping the substrate always moist but not flooded, they will germinate in about 10 days.
Young
They can be separated in late springusing a small hand saw and then planting them in other parts of the garden or in pots with universal substrate mixed with perlite in equal parts.
When to cut the bananas from the banana tree?
If they are for family consumption, we can collect them when they are yellow. But if we see that it has many, we will cut some even if they are a little green and we will wrap them with newspaper for a few days.
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When is the banana harvested
Rusticity
Most species of banana trees do not tolerate frostexcept one, the muse basjoowhich can withstand up to -15ºC.
They can be kept near the sea, a little sheltered, but during the first two years it is possible that their leaves are damaged by the saline wind. As they are strengthened, they will produce leaves that are increasingly resistant to salt.
What are they for?
Image – Wikimedia Commons Musa x paradisiaca »Ae Ae»
Ornamental
They are very decorative plants, which bring a tropical touch to the garden. They are very easy to care for and are very grateful, since as long as they have plenty of sun and water, as well as a well-drained soil, they will grow that will be a pleasure to see them.
Edible
There are several species of Musa that produce edible fruits, such as the Acuminate muse or the Heavenly Muses. These fruits are consumed as dessert, in fruit salads, ice cream, smoothies, juices… The nutritional value of the banana, for every 100 grams, is the following:
- Calories: 94 kcal
- Proteins: 1,2 gr
- Fat: 0,3 gr
- Carbohydrates: 20 gr
- Fiber: 3,4 gr
- Iron: 0,6 gr
- Magnesium: 38 mg
- Potassium: 350 mg
- Phosphorus: 28 mg
Other uses
It is common that in their areas of origin (and in other parts of the world) the leaves are used as an umbrella. And if that was not enough, the fibers of some speciesas of the muse basjoo, are used to produce textiles.
Where to buy banana trees?
We will get them in nurseries and garden stores, both physical and online. Also here:
