Few houseplants bring as much tropical atmosphere indoors as the banana plant. With its enormous, fresh green leaves the Musa turns a corner of your living room into a jungle within a few months. It is one of the fastest growers you can get: give it enough light, water and warmth and you will see a new leaf unfurl almost every week. In this guide you will read exactly how to care for a banana plant, from position and watering to repotting, overwintering and solving the most common problems.
Looking for a specimen that makes an instant impression? Then take a look at our large banana plants, which have already reached a substantial height.
The banana plant in brief
Short on time and want to know quickly what your plant needs? These are the key care points.
- Light: a great deal. A bright spot with some direct sun is ideal. This is one of the more light-hungry houseplants.
- Water: plenty. Keep the soil evenly moist. In summer often several times a week, but avoid a waterlogged base.
- Humidity: high. It likes a humid environment and quickly gets brown leaf edges in dry air.
- Position: warm and bright, out of draughts. Temperatures between 18 and 25 degrees are perfect.
- Toxic: no. The banana plant is not toxic and is considered safe for dogs and cats.
- Growth rate: very fast during the growing season (spring and summer).
About the banana plant and its origins
The banana plant (botanically Musa, family Musaceae) comes originally from the tropical regions of Southeast Asia. Although its tree-like appearance means it is often mistaken for a tree, the banana plant is strictly speaking a giant herb. The sturdy "trunk" is in reality a pseudostem, built up from tightly rolled leaf stalks.
What makes the Musa so loved as a houseplant is its leaves: large, glossy and fresh green, sometimes up to a metre long. They give an instantly lush, tropical look. Because the plant is used to a warm and humid climate with plenty of sun, that translates into its care indoors: warmth, light and moisture are the three pillars it all revolves around.
Light and position
Light is the single most important thing for a healthy banana plant. Unlike many other houseplants, the Musa actually likes plenty of light and also tolerates a helping of direct sun. So put it in the brightest spot you have, for example in front of a south-, east- or west-facing window.
How much sun can it take?
The banana plant tolerates direct morning and evening sun perfectly well. Harsh midday sun behind glass can cause scorching in summer, though, especially if the plant has just been moved or is not yet used to the sun. So build up direct sun gradually. If your plant gets too little light, you will see it in small, pale leaves and a plant that grows towards the window. Turn the pot a quarter turn now and then so it keeps growing evenly.
Temperature and draughts
The Musa likes warmth: a room temperature between 18 and 25 degrees is ideal. Do not place it in a draught or right above a radiator, as dry, moving air is one of its greatest enemies. A spot by a south-facing window, out of the direct airflow, is often perfect.
Watering
The banana plant is a real drinker. Because of its fast growth and large leaves it evaporates a lot of moisture, especially during the growing season. The trick is to keep the soil evenly moist without the roots standing in a waterlogged base.
How often to water?
- Spring and summer: water as soon as the top layer of compost feels light. In warm spells that often works out at several times a week.
- Autumn and winter: the plant grows more slowly and evaporates less. Water clearly less then and let the top layer dry out a little further first.
Always feel the soil with your finger before watering. If the top few centimetres still feel clearly wet, wait a little longer. Use a pot with a drainage hole and always throw away excess water from the cachepot or saucer. Roots that stand in water for long periods will rot.
Humidity
As a tropical plant the Musa likes high humidity. In an average living room, and certainly in winter with the heating on, the air is often too dry. The first sign of that is brown, bone-dry leaf edges.
You can raise the humidity around your plant in a few ways:
- Mist the leaves regularly with lukewarm, low-lime water (rainwater is best).
- Stand the plant on a saucer of wet clay granules or clay pebbles, so moisture evaporates all around it.
- Group it with other plants; together they create a more humid microclimate.
- Keep it away from the radiator and use a humidifier if needed.
Feeding
A fast grower like the banana plant needs plenty of nutrition to be able to form all those big leaves. During the growing season (roughly from March to September) add liquid plant food to the water every two weeks. A universal feed for green houseplants is perfectly fine.
In autumn and winter the plant rests and barely needs feeding. Largely stop feeding then, or give a small amount at most once a month. Too much feed during the resting period can do more harm than good.
Repotting a banana plant, step by step
Because of its fast growth a banana plant often outgrows its pot within a year. Repot it preferably in spring, at the start of the growing season. That way it can immediately benefit from the new space and fresh soil. If roots appear out of the drainage hole or the soil dries out extremely quickly, it is time.
- Choose a pot about 20 per cent larger than the current one, with a good drainage hole.
- Put a layer of clay pebbles in the bottom for drainage.
- Carefully take the plant out of the old pot and loosen the root ball gently.
- Top up with fresh, airy houseplant compost.
- Set the plant at the same depth as before and press the soil down lightly.
- Water generously so the new soil settles around the roots.
Do you come across side shoots (so-called pups or suckers) at the foot of the plant while repotting? You can carefully cut those off with a clean knife, provided they already have roots of their own, and pot them up separately as a new plant.
Split leaves: is that normal?
Yes, this is entirely normal. The large leaves of the banana plant naturally split from the edge towards the main vein, just as you see with the Strelitzia. In nature this is a handy adaptation: the splits let wind and rain pass through the leaf, so it does not tear or snap in a storm.
In other words: split leaves are no sign of disease or poor care. It is part of the plant and gives it precisely its characteristic, tropical look. So do not worry when you see pristine new leaves splitting over time.
Putting the banana plant outside and overwintering
Most ornamental bananas you buy as a houseplant are not hardy and must stay indoors all year. In summer, however, many species may go outside for a while, in a warm, sheltered spot. Acclimatise the plant gradually to outdoor air and the stronger light, so the leaves do not scorch.
Bring the plant back inside well before nights turn cold, and in any case before the first night frost. Indoors the banana plant overwinters in a bright spot at room temperature. Water less in winter and stop feeding. It is normal for the plant to grow a little more slowly in this period and for an older leaf to die off now and then.
One exception is Musa basjoo, which is relatively hardy and can overwinter outside in the garden with good protection. Most indoor varieties emphatically are not.
Solving common problems
Things can go wrong with the banana plant too. Fortunately most complaints can be traced back to a cause. Below are the most common problems with their solutions.
Brown leaf edges
Cause: usually air that is too dry, sometimes combined with too little water. Solution: raise the humidity by misting and using clay granules, and move the plant away from the radiator. Check that the soil is not standing too dry.
Yellow leaves
Cause: often too much water or soil that is too wet. A single lower leaf turning yellow and dying off is part of natural growth. Solution: let the soil dry out a little further between waterings and ensure good drainage so the roots do not stand in water.
Limp, drooping leaves
Cause: usually lack of water (the soil has dried out) or, conversely, root damage from excessive watering. Solution: feel the soil. If it is bone dry, water generously; the plant often recovers surprisingly quickly. If the soil is soaking wet, let it dry out first and check the roots for rot.
Spider mite
Cause: spider mite feels at home in warm, dry air. You recognise it by fine webbing between the leaves and leaf stalk and by small yellow speckles on the leaf. Solution: raise the humidity (spider mite hates moisture), rinse the plant thoroughly under the shower and treat it with an organic control product if needed. Check regularly, as dry indoor air makes the Musa susceptible to spider mite.
Root rot
Cause: persistently wet, waterlogged soil causing the roots to rot. Solution: take the plant out of the pot, remove soft, brown roots, repot in fresh soil and water less afterwards. From now on always use a drainage hole and throw away excess water.
Will my banana plant produce bananas?
Honest answer: as a houseplant, almost never. To bear fruit a banana plant needs a great deal of light, warmth and space for years on end, conditions you can barely reproduce indoors. The ornamental bananas sold as houseplants are kept mainly for their spectacular foliage, not for their fruit.
Should you nevertheless see a flower spike appear, that is a nice bonus. Just do not count on harvesting a bunch of edible bananas from your living-room plant. Above all, enjoy the lush greenery; the Musa is a champion at that.
Is the banana plant toxic?
Good news: the banana plant is not toxic. The Musa belongs to the edible banana family and is considered safe for people and pets. For anyone with dogs or cats it is therefore one of the safer choices among large houseplants.
Do bear in mind that eating large amounts of plant material can cause stomach upset with any plant. A cat chewing on a leaf is not in danger, but it is sensible not to offer plants as a snack in the first place.
Popular banana plant varieties
There are various species and varieties, each with its own character. These are the best known.
- Musa (the true or ornamental banana): the classic with large, fresh green leaves and fast growth. The ideal houseplant for a tropical feel.
- Musa basjoo (Japanese fibre banana): relatively hardy and therefore suitable for the garden, provided it is well protected in winter.
- Musa 'Dwarf Cavendish': a more compact variety that stays a little lower and therefore fits well in spots with less height.
- Ensete ventricosum / Ensete maurelii (Abyssinian banana): strictly speaking a related genus, but very popular. The 'Maurelii' stands out for its beautiful red-brown leaves.
Want to pick a specimen yourself? Then take a look at our large banana plants and find the variety that suits your interior.
Frequently asked questions about the banana plant
How much light does a banana plant need?
Plenty of light. The banana plant is a real sun lover and does best in the brightest spot in the house, with some direct morning or evening sun. Too little light results in small leaves and weak growth.
How often should I water my banana plant?
Keep the soil evenly moist. In summer that often means several times a week, in winter considerably less. Water as soon as the top layer of compost feels light, but avoid a waterlogged base.
Why are the leaves of my banana plant splitting?
That is entirely normal. The large leaves split naturally, just as with the Strelitzia. It is not a disease but a natural adaptation that lets wind pass easily through the leaf.
My banana plant is getting brown leaf edges, what now?
Brown, dry leaf edges almost always indicate air that is too dry. Raise the humidity by misting regularly, using clay granules and moving the plant away from the radiator.
Is a banana plant toxic to dogs and cats?
No, the banana plant is not toxic and is considered safe for dogs and cats. Eating large amounts of plant material can cause stomach upset, though, so it is better not to let your pet chew on it.
Can my banana plant go outside in summer?
Most varieties can go outside in summer in a warm, sheltered spot. Acclimatise the plant gradually to outdoor light and bring it back inside in good time, before the first cold nights. Indoor ornamental bananas are not hardy.
How fast does a banana plant grow?
Very fast. During the growing season a healthy banana plant with enough light, water and feed can produce a new leaf almost every week. That makes it one of the fastest growers among houseplants.
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