Winter Care for a Banana Tree

A single growing banana is called a "finger," and 10 or more are called "hands."

Banana trees are not really trees, but giant herbs related to lilies, palms and orchids. Considered the largest plants on earth without a woody stem (the trunk is instead composed of overlapping leaves sheathed together, like a bundle of celery), banana trees grow rapidly, quickly reaching a full height of from 6 to 25 feet. Most species of banana are cold-intolerant, and must be properly protected in the winter.

Considerations

While some cold-tolerant varieties have developed that can survive lower temperatures, when night temperatures drop to temperatures in the 50s, banana trees stop growing. Trees might survive brief exposure to temperatures of 28 degrees Fahrenheit with slight burning of the leaves due to the cold, but the above-ground portion of the plant dies completely at temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Protect your plant before the first freeze and until after the last one.

Winter Shelter Outside

This red flower grows to become a new bunch of bananas.

Options for wintering outside include clipping the leaves off the plant, surrounding the trunk with burlap and covering with plastic to both insulate and block the wind. Some experts suggest clipping the tree off at ground level (it will grow back in spring) and covering with a foot of mulch. Spread plastic over the mulch to insulate and protect the banana corm (the "seed" from which the banana grows) and roots from freezing and frost damage.

Wintering Inside

Wintering considerations depend on the size of your banana tree, age and just how cold it gets -- in some frigid climates, banana trees really should be brought inside. Small banana plants are easily dug up and replanted in containers, which may be kept indoors in sunny spots free of drafts. For larger trees, consider stripping the leaves off the plant and digging up the roots; plant these in a pot filled with slightly damp sand and winter inside similarly. Most importantly, do not fertilize and water sparingly, as the banana will be dormant.

References

• University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension: Ask Janet Carson - Bananas
• The Star: Banana Trees Can Survive Canadian Winter
• Purdue University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture: Banana
• Dole: Bananas
• University of Florida Extension: Ask Wendy: Banana Trees
• Hardy Tropicals: Tips on Growing Hardy Bananas