Finding Musaceae: A Small Odyssey  

i.  
It’s March of 2019, and a friend brings me to work with them for a few hours at the Fairmount Horticulture Center. The plan is to spend an afternoon in the greenhouse starting seeds, but upon arrival, I decide to wander around, taking in the lush green fauna and warm, rainforest feel. Almost immediately, I am taken aback by the foliage of a plant—easily over 10 feet tall, dazzling, dramatic, and filled with fruit! Stalks bend over, heavy with racks of both green, unripe and soft, yellow, ready-to-peel bananas. I take in the moment, quite awe-struck (and even taste one, with permission from my friend) and figure that would be my first and last encounter with a banana tree in the city, given the kind of tropical environment needed to cultivate them. Or so I thought.

ii.  
Several months before starting my work with POP in 2021, I make an appointment with a spiritual practitioner for some guidance during a period of transition. The practitioner advises me to make offerings to fruit trees, specifically bananas, as they grow abundantly in my ancestral homelands of Ghana. I sigh to myself at the instructions… “I live in Philadelphia… I don’t think the Horticulture Center will take kindly to me leaving offerings in their greenhouse.” Later that summer, I visit a friend who has moved to Germantown. Imagine my surprise when I see banana leaves stretching high and wide in people’s front yards. I can’t believe it: bananas… outside… in Philadelphia? Tropical, commanding, and vigorous.

iii.  
In 2023, I move to a new home. My neighborhood and the surrounding blocks have an abundance of figs, a few pomegranates, and several banana trees. Every time I leave my house, I find a new one. I take different walking routes in hopes of coming across another. They are a glory to behold, and sometimes I can feel their presence before I see them. Off the top of my head, I can tell you where five different banana plants live, including one that flowers and fruits, and another that has three small offshoots. In 2024, to my delight, Phil brings out two banana trees for us to plant—a variety native to India called ‘Rajapuri’, planted in the POP Learning Orchard among figs and fresh basil, and another Venezuelan variety called Dwarf ‘Orinoco’. Neither are from my homeland, but I offer my libations, greet them as my familiars, and extend my gratitude nonetheless.

Description 
Bananas (Musaceae) are native to parts of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, with the Kuk Valley of New Guinea in 8000 BCE often cited as the place and time where wild bananas were first domesticated. From Southeast Asia (specifically the Philippines) and the South Pacific, bananas spread globally, reaching India, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, and eventually East Africa by 500 BCE. Later waves of diffusion introduced bananas to parts of North Africa, West Africa, Asia, and Europe by the 1200s. The history of the banana is vast, spanning multiple continents with over 1,000 varieties, though only about 12 species within the Musaceae family are cold-hardy enough to grow in temperate climates with the most cold hardy Musa ‘basjoo‘ tolerating temperatures as cold as -10°F when properly protected. 

If you haven’t noticed, I’ve refrained from using the word “tree” to describe the banana because, while it’s colloquially called a tree, the banana is actually an herbaceous perennial!

The banana has an interesting anatomy. What appears as the “trunk” is actually a pseudostem made of tightly bound leaf stalks that don’t convert to woody tissue. The base of the banana plant has an underground storage organ called a corm, which stores energy and produces pups for new plants. The pseudostems of a banana can vary in color and width, with Musella species typically wider at the base while Ensete and Musa species have a consistent width throughout the pseudostem.

Banana leaves are often the star of the show, contributing to the plant’s bold, tropical look. Leaves are large, smooth, and waxy, measuring 6 inches wide and 2 feet long on dwarf varieties, and up to 2 feet wide and 9 feet long on larger plants. Leaves may come in an array of colors and variegations, with some displaying white, red, purple, or maroon hues on the leaf blade. A single pseudostem can have anywhere between four and several dozen leaves, with moist, rich soils helping retain more leaves than drier, less fertile ground. As tightly curled leaves unfurl from the center of the pseudostem, older leaves are pushed outward, giving the banana plant its wide and dramatic flair.

The dreamy and alluring flowers of a banana plant are inflorescent, meaning they contain clusters of flowers on a single structure. These florets are thin and tubular, encased by a specialized leaf called a bract, often brightly colored in purple, red, orange, or yellow. Bananas won’t flower until the pseudostem has nine to twelve leaves.

Bananas are a multi-seeded fruit that develop from a single ovary within a flower. They don’t have a stone, and they contain multiple distinct layers, which technically makes them a berry! A stalk filled with banana fruit is called a bunch. As the bunch develops, it changes from green to yellow, red, or even white or blue, depending on the cultivar. Bananas can range between two to twelve inches in length and ¾ to 2 inches in width.

If a banana plant survives the winter, it will typically produce fruit 15–18 months after planting. Poetically and ephemerally, once the banana plant flowers and fruits, the pseudostem will die, replaced by new banana plants from the same corm.

Cultivation  

Bananas require full sun to partial shade (some variegated varieties need some shade to prevent scorching) and, in temperate climates, should ideally be planted 3–4 weeks after the last frost. Bananas thrive best in deep, fertile, well-drained soils. Because bananas have adapted to rainy climates, they fare poorly in areas with droughts lasting longer than three months without consistent watering or irrigation. They should receive 1–2 inches of water a week. Bananas prefer a sunny, humid daytime temperature between 80°F and 95°F. When choosing a site, consider wind patterns, as bananas can experience shredded leaves at 30 mph and broken pseudostems at 40 mph.

Pest & Disease Management 

Most pests and diseases that impact bananas in tropical climates are unlikely in temperate zones. Sap-sucking insects like aphids or mealybugs may be potential threats, and cold, wet soil can cause root rot, but bananas are generally low-maintenance regarding pests and disease.

Overwintering  

The main goal for overwintering bananas is to protect the pseudostem. Preparations are similar to those for figs and young pomegranates.

Once freezing temperatures cause drooping and browning of the leaves, cut the banana plant back, leaving 3–4 feet of pseudostem. Cut at an angle to prevent water pooling and rotting. Create a structure around the pseudostem with chicken wire, fencing wire, or welded wire fencing, securing it with zip ties or string. Fill with shredded dry leaves for insulation, as whole leaves can retain excess moisture and cause rot. At the POP Learning Orchard, we are considering covering the fencing structure with a tarp to protect against rain, preventing the leaves from getting wet. When new leaves emerge in spring, remove the cage!

Cold Hardy Bananas at the POP Learning Orchard  

This year, the POP team planted two cold-hardy banana varieties: Musa ‘Rajapuri’ in the main orchard and Musa ‘Orinoco’ in the newly built zone 8 high tunnel, where staff are experimenting with zone 8 trees and crops. We believe we can overwinter the bananas but whether they will fruit for us is still a question- stay tuned! 

Musa ‘Rajapuri’ is a dwarf Indian cultivar, typically 8–10 feet tall, making it ideal for smaller sites and container gardens. Known for wind and frost resistance, Rajapuri may flower in 9 months and produce fruit ready to harvest within 18 months. The fruit averages 5–6 inches in length, and unlike many hardy bananas, Rajapuri is prized for its sweet, creamy, subtly tart flavor.

Musa ‘Dwarf Orinoco’, also known as Bluggoe, is another dwarf banana originating from the Orinoco River Valley in Venezuela. The Orinoco matures between 6–8 feet tall and is known for its cold and wind tolerance. Orinoco bananas, about 6 inches long and 2 inches thick, are often harvested green and while best suited for cooking, frying, boiling, or baking when initially harvested are also enjoyed raw when fully ripened. .

Uses for Hardy Bananas and the Mighty (Musa ‘basjoo’)

Some varieties may produce edible fruit in zone 8, including Orinoco, Rajapuri, Dwarf Brazilian, Ice Cream, and Thousand Fingers. Edible bananas are excellent sources of potassium, carbohydrates, vitamin B6, and fiber. Banana leaves are used in culinary preparations such as wrappings for roasting, baking, or steaming to retain moisture. Additionally, the stems and leaves of Ensete and Musa species are used to create Manila hemp, traditionally hand-loomed into textiles, as well as paper and rope.

Many cold-hardy bananas are inedible due to bitterness and seeds. The most cold tolerant and common species is the Musa ‘basjoo‘, a fast growing Japanese banana that is actually native to Sichuan, China but was previously believed to originate in Ryuku Islands near Japan. The pseudostem of Musa ‘basjoo‘ produces a whorl of large, paddle-shaped leaves, while creamy or yellow tubular flowers bloom in summer. These are followed by small, ornamental, and inedible fruits. This plant makes an excellent tropical specimen that is widely seen growing outdoors around Philly in yards and gardens. Outdoors, its rhizomes are cold hardy down to -10°F when pruned and mulched to protect against freezing. In USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8, the plant’s growth will die back to the ground each winter.

Sources

University of California Santa Cruz. (n.d.). Early history of the banana.
https://humwp.ucsc.edu/cwh/bananas/Site/Early%20History%20of%20the%20Banana.html

Plant Delights Nursery. (2014, January 31; updated 2022, September 13). The banana tree: Growing cold hardy banana plants. https://www.plantdelights.com/blogs/articles/banana-tree-plant-hardy

University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. (2007, September 7). Hardy banana.
https://www.uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/hardy-banana-9-7-07.aspx

Banana Pups. (n.d.). Cold hardy banana varieties.
https://www.bananapups.com/cold-hardy-list/

MasterClass. (2022, February 8). How to winterize banana trees.
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/winterizing-banana-trees

Ty Ty Nursery. (n.d.). Rajapuri banana plant.
https://www.tytyga.com/Rajapuri-Banana-p/fruban-fru-raja.htm

Specialty Produce. (n.d.-a). Rajapuri bananas.
https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Rajapuri_Bananas_11286.php

Specialty Produce. (n.d.-b). Orinoco bananas.
https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/orinoco_bananas_12757.php

This Old House. (n.d.). 5 cold-hardy banana trees that will survive winter.
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/gardening/reviews/cold-hardy-banana-trees

iNaturalist. (n.d.). Musa textilis.
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/425852-Musa-textilis

Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Musa basjoo.
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d442#:~:text=This%20banana%20is%20considered%20winter,drained%20soil%20in%20full%20sun.

North Carolina State University. (n.d.). Musa basjoo. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/musa-basjoo/

DISCLAIMER

The information presented on this website is for informational, reference, and educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as a substitute for diagnosis and treatment by a health care professional. Always consult a healthcare professional or medical doctor when suffering from any health ailment, disease, illness, or injury, or before attempting any traditional or folk remedies. Keep all plants away from children. As with any natural product, they can be toxic if misused. 

The Philadelphia Orchard Project stresses that you should not consume parts of any wild edible plants, herbs, weeds, trees,​ or bushes until you have verified with your health professional that they are safe for you. As with any new foods that you wish to try, it is best to introduce them slowly into your diet in small amounts.

This POP Blog was written by Orchard Director Sharon Appiah with help from Co-Executive Director Phil Forsyth.

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