Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii ~ Red Banana

Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii ~ Red BananaRed Banana is a huge banana like tropical plant with a prominent red midrib on the huge paddle shaped foliage that emerges with maroon tints. Grows best in full sun and rich, consistently moist well drained soils. Treat as an annual if outside. Type: Perennial, Annual Height: 8' 10' Spread: 6' 8' Spacing: 7' USDA Hardiness Zone: 10 11 Culture: Full Sun Bloom Color: White Season of Interest: Multi Seasonal MAINTENANCE NEEDS: High maintenance. Do not

Red Banana is a huge banana-like tropical plant with a prominent red midrib on the huge paddle shaped foliage that emerges with maroon tints.  Grows best in full sun and rich, consistently moist well drained soils.  Treat as an annual if outside.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS: High maintenance.  Do not let soils dry out.  Protect from strong winds.  Outside plants must be overwintered to survive in areas outside zones.  To overwinter, bring inside and to a sunny room and reduce water and fertilizer.  If plant too large to pot, bring in after first frost and cut foliage down to 6-8" and store in cool, dark place until spring.  NOTE: Red Banana is harder to transplant, keeping in a pot is recommended.  Susceptible to anthracnose, wilt and mosiac virus.  Watch for common houseplant pests.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Tropical Accents or Group Plantings, Foundational Plantings, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS: Heuchera, Daylily, Japanese Barberry

IMAGES: KATHERINE WAGNER-REISS, Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii', CC BY-SA 4.0, (2) photo by pris.sears, Ensete ventricosum, (3) photo by Jungle Rebel, Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelli', (4) Photo by Leonora (Ellie) Enking, Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii'

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.