A banana tree, like the papaya plant, can make an excellent houseplant, just don’t expect it to produce fruit as an indoor plant. To produce fruit, the plant needs tropical conditions outdoors. With the right conditions, a banana tree may bear fruit in around a year.
Do indoor banana plants grow bananas?
Some of the best bananas for indoor culture are varieties or hybrids of the Cavendish banana (Musa acuminata). These are also the most likely to produce edible fruit if provided with optimal growing conditions.
Can bananas fruit indoors?
You might not think that you could grow a fruit-producing banana tree in your home, but there are banana plant species that can be grown inside. One of these is the dwarf banana tree (Musa acuminata, which thrives outdoors in USDA growing zones 10 to 11), which can flourish in the right kinds of indoor environments.
How do I get my banana plants to fruit?
Provide at least 12 hours of sunlight to encourage growth, flowering, and fruit. Regularly water your banana plant thoroughly and deeply, so the soil stays moist. Give your banana plant time to be mature (at least nine months to produce fruit).
How big do indoor banana plants get?
Instead, look for dwarf varieties of banana plants. These will be the best choice for growing as a houseplant. Dwarf Cavendish (Tropicana) grows 8-10 feet tall. Dwarf Red grows 6 feet tall.
Can a banana tree survive indoors?
With enough light and water, an indoor banana tree makes an excellent houseplant. A banana plant houseplant offers interesting foliage and white flowers emerging from purple buds. Keep in mind that while some banana tree varieties produce edible fruit, others do not—like that of Musa basjoo.
How do you look after an indoor banana plant?
Indoor bananas need to be positioned in a bright room but without in direct exposure to sunlight. The plants will benefit from high humidity in the room. Mist often the leaves to improve humidity around the plant. Alternatively, place the pot on a humidity tray (a large tray with pebbles, filled with water).
How long does it take for a banana tree to bear fruit?
Banana plants take around nine months to grow up and produce banana tree fruit, and then once the bananas have been harvested, the plant dies.
How do you prune an indoor banana tree?
Use a sharp blade or knife to prune the stem.
Cut the stalk with a clean and sharp knife about ½ to 1 inch from the trunk. Regular pruning will allow your banana plant to remain looking lush. Make sure you have waited until you have harvested any fruit and until your plant has flowered before you prune the stem.
How often should I water my indoor banana tree?
All types of banana trees need large quantities of water to grow properly. Indoor banana plants often need deep watering every single day. Outdoor banana plants need to be watered every 2-3 days. These herbaceous plants are very thirsty and thrive in soil that is consistently moist.
How do I know if my banana tree will produce fruit?
Getting banana trees to fruit takes certain conditions. If your soil is poor, your tree may grow fine but not produce fruit. Your soil should be rich, non-saline, and have a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. Getting banana plants to fruit also requires continuous warmth.
How do you tell if a banana tree is male or female?
Male flowers have normal stamens that form normal pollen. The pollen functions in plant reproduction, but the male banana flowers never form banana fruits. Female flowers have an ovary that develops into a banana fruit (Figures 1, 3), but the stamens of female flowers do not make pollen.
Do you need 2 banana trees to produce fruit?
Dwarf Cavendish banana trees self-pollinate, meaning that they don’t need another tree nearby to help the flowers produce fruit. However, more than one tree can increase your crop yield. Most banana trees thrive in heat and humidity, so when you plant two banana trees next to each other, they pack in heat and humidity.
Can you grow a banana tree from a store bought banana?
You cannot grow a banana tree from a commercially cultivated banana fruit. But, you can procure the seeds from a supplier to propagate a banana tree.
How fast do indoor banana plants grow?
This impressive houseplant isn’t likely to fruit when grown indoors, but its lush, spreading leaves add a tropical touch to any space. Banana leaf plants are fast-growing and can reach mature size (20-40 feet) in 10-15 months.
When should I repot my banana plant?
Re-potting
Bananas are vigorous plants and should be moved into a larger container either every spring or every other spring. This will help them to keep growing strongly.
Where should you store a banana plant at home?
The banana tree is useful, but you must place it in the east or northeast, with little preference for the north, and water daily with attention. Banana trees should never be planted on the south side of your home or property. Bananas require 7 to 8 hours of bright sunlight per day to grow.
How do you overwinter a banana plant indoors?
Place the plant in a container filled with moist sand and store it in an area that will not drop below 50 degrees F. Stop watering or fertilizing and allow the plant to go dormant. In the spring, after the last frost date in your area, you can plant your banana tree in the garden again.
Why is my indoor banana tree leaves turning yellow?
Banana tree leaves that are turning yellow and dying indicate that the tree is not getting the nutrients it needs. Inadequate fertilization, poor-draining soil, overwatering and fungal infection are some of the common reasons a banana tree (Musa spp.) might lack nutrients.
Why are my banana leaves curling up?
There are two main reasons why the leaves of your banana plant are curling, these are too little water and overexposure to sunlight. To fix this you need to put them direct sunlight for 5+ hours and have a regular watering schedule so they do not get too dry.
Do banana plants need direct sunlight?
Grow banana plants in full sun to partial shade in fertile, moist but well-drained soil, in a sheltered spot.