Darjeeling banana

Perennial

Musa sikkimensis

Darjeeling banana

Also known as: Musa hookeri

A tall Himalayan banana with broad green leaves, often reddish underneath when young.

  • Full sun, Partial shade
  • 2.5–5 m (8–16 ft)
  • 1.5–3 m (5–10 ft)
  • H3 · Zone 8
  • July–September
  • Deciduous
  • RHS Award of Garden Merit

Overview

This vigorous banana forms suckering clumps and broad leaves that may show red colouring, especially on young growth. Seedlings vary and plain species plants are not necessarily strongly striped. Protect leaves from wind and retain pseudostems with winter insulation; cold wet roots and prolonged freezing are damaging.

At a Glance

Sun Full sun, Partial shade
Height 2.5–5 m (8–16 ft)
Spread 1.5–3 m (5–10 ft)
Hardiness H3 · Zone 8
Flowers July–September
Soil Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture Moist well drained
Habit Suckering, Upright
Water High
Maintenance Moderate
Darjeeling banana

Growing Conditions

Min. Temperature -5°C (23°F)
pH Range 5.5–7.5
Fertility Fertile
Drainage Free Draining

Aspect Suitability

  • South-facing
  • West-facing

Soil Tolerance

  • Clay
  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Acid
  • Neutral pH
  • Alkaline

Foliage

Darjeeling banana
Darjeeling banana
Persistence Deciduous
Colour Green, Red
Leaf shape / texture oblong_paddle
  • Autumn colour
  • Architectural foliage

Foliage interest: May–November

Seasonal Timeline

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Flowering
Foliage
Propagate
  • Flowering Jul Aug Sep
  • Foliage May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
  • Propagate Mar Apr May Jun Jul

How to propagate

Ways to grow more Darjeeling banana: the usual steps for each method.

From seed Mar–May Easy

You'll need: Seed compost, a seed tray or small pots, labels, and a clear lid or plastic bag.

  1. Fill a tray or pots with seed compost, level it and firm it gently.
  2. Water the compost and let it drain.
  3. Sow the seeds thinly on top. Cover them with a fine layer of compost or vermiculite about as deep as the seed is big; leave tiny seeds uncovered.
  4. Label them, cover with a clear lid or bag, and keep them somewhere bright but out of hot sun.
  5. Keep the compost just moist, and take the cover off once seedlings appear.
How long
Usually comes up in 1 to 3 weeks.
It's worked when
Seedlings with their first pair of leaves.
Then
When each has its first true leaves, prick them out into their own small pots, holding them by a leaf, never the stem. Harden them off for a week or two before planting out.
Offsets, runners and bulblets Mar–Apr Easy

You'll need: A trowel, small pots and compost.

  1. Find the small plants, offsets or bulblets growing beside the parent plant, or on its runners.
  2. Gently separate them with some roots, cutting any runner from the parent.
  3. Pot them up, or replant them at the same depth, and water.
How long
Grows on within a few weeks.
It's worked when
New leaves on the young plants.
Then
Grow them on until they're a good size before planting out.

Soak seed and germinate in warmth; emergence may be erratic over many weeks. Divide rooted offsets in late spring or summer.

Maintenance Calendar

  • Apr Inspect protected stems and uncover gradually after frost
  • May Apply feed and organic mulch as growth starts
  • Jun Water generously throughout active summer growth
  • Jul Separate well-rooted offsets in warm weather
  • Oct Insulate stems and shelter pots before hard frost
  • Dec Check crowns and insulation for wet rot

Garden Design

Works well in: Modern / Contemporary, Tropical / Exotic

Use in a warm, sheltered border with generous space. Flowers are uncommon in UK gardens and depend on retaining mature stems through winter.

Companion planting: Cannas, Gingers, Ferns, Large grasses

Wildlife Value

  • Shelter

Safety

No well-established major toxicity. Fruit is full of hard seeds and is not a typical eating banana.