How to Grow Musa Basjoo Indoors

Musa Basjoo also known as Japanese Fiber Banana, is a tropical herbaceous tree that is cold hardy to U.S. Climate Zone 4. A large, dramatic foliage presence in the garden, it can grow up to 20 feet tall at maturity. With the right conditions, these trees can be grown indoors as seedlings or mature plants.

Things You'll Need

• Musa Basjoo sappling or mature tree
• Container with rich, well-drained soil
• General-purpose, water-soluble fertilizer
• Sunny location

Instructions

1. Choose a pot for your Musa Basjoo that is at least 18 inches in diameter (larger if you won't want to transplant it in a few years). Make sure that the container has ample drainage holes and a water-catch tray.

2. Fill the container with rich well drained soil and spread out the roots evenly in the soil as you fill the pot. Ensure that the original soil level on the trunk is maintained in the new container. Tamp down the soil with the palm of your hand to collapse any air pockets.

3. Water the Basjoo well and keep the soil consistently and uniformly moist but not wet, which can induce rot in indoor container plants.

4. Provide by natural or artificial means, or a combination thereof, a minimum of 10 hours of sunlight or equivalent each day.

5. Fertilize your Musa Basjoo once a month with a water-soluble, general-purpose fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro.

Tips & Warnings

• If white flies or other pests appear on your indoor Basjoo, immediately begin treatment with an indoor-safe, all-natural insecticidal spray. This should get rid of the pests and provide a baseline to manage away any infestation.

References

• University of Illinois Extension article on Musa Basjoo
• Dave's Garden gardner exchange forum and database