{"product_id":"ensete-ventricosum-maurelii","title":"Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii'","description":"Few plants deliver instant jungle drama like \u003cstrong\u003eEnsete ventricosum 'Maurelii'\u003c\/strong\u003e, the magnificent Red Abyssinian Banana. Often sold simply as \u003cem\u003eensete maurelii\u003c\/em\u003e, this is the showstopper of any exotic planting scheme, prized for its enormous paddle-shaped leaves flushed with deep wine-red, burgundy and oxblood tones. Bold, fast-growing and unmistakably tropical, it transforms a sunny patio, courtyard or border into a slice of the tropics in a single summer.\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy grow the Red Abyssinian Banana?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one of the most striking foliage plants you can grow outdoors in the UK. Each huge leaf can reach well over a metre long, with an olive-green upper surface and a glowing red-purple midrib and underside that lights up beautifully when backlit by low sun. Unlike a true Musa, this \u003cem\u003eensete ventricosum maurelii\u003c\/em\u003e forms a single, stout, swollen trunk rather than a clump, giving it an architectural, almost prehistoric presence. As a focal point or repeated through a hot, exotic border, the red banana plant brings height, lush texture and serious wow factor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDramatic burgundy-flushed, paddle-shaped leaves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFast, statuesque growth in a single season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuperb as a patio container specimen or border centrepiece\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePairs beautifully with cannas, colocasia and other tender exotics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTo get the best from your \u003cem\u003eensete ventricosum maurelii\u003c\/em\u003e in the UK, choose the warmest, sunniest and most sheltered spot you can offer, ideally against a south or west-facing wall and out of strong wind that can tear the leaves. Plant into rich, fertile, moisture-retentive yet free-draining soil or a loam-based compost, and water and feed generously throughout spring and summer to fuel that rapid, leafy growth. In a season it will typically reach 2 to 2.5 m, building to 3 to 4 m over several years in ideal conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCrucially, this is a tender exotic (RHS hardiness H2) and is not frost hardy, so it is best treated as a patio plant that summers outside and overwinters under cover. Before the first frosts, move it into a frost-free greenhouse, conservatory or cool bright room, or lift, trim and store the rootstock, then bring it back out once the danger of frost has passed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur plants are nursery-grown and carefully selected for strong, healthy growth and rich leaf colour, ready to make an immediate statement in your garden.\u003c\/p\u003e]]\u0026gt;","brand":"GROW TROPICALS","offers":[{"title":"15cm","offer_id":57810283757951,"sku":"ENSEMAUR15","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/growtropicals.com\/products\/ensete-ventricosum-maurelii","provider":"GrowTropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}