Yes, it is the hardiest banana commonly grown and is root-hardy across much of the UK. The leafy pseudostem is cut back by frost, but with the trunk wrapped or the crown well mulched the plant survives winter and reshoots vigorously in spring.

In a warm, sheltered garden it can reach 2.5 to 4 metres tall with a spread of 2 to 3 metres, forming a clump of paddle-shaped leaves up to 2 metres long. Plants that die back to the ground each winter will be a little shorter the following year.

It can flower and set small green fruit in long hot summers, but the bananas are full of hard seeds and are not edible. Musa basjoo is grown as a dramatic foliage plant for its huge architectural leaves rather than for a crop.

In autumn cut off frosted leaves, then wrap the pseudostem in straw or horticultural fleece and apply a thick dry mulch over the crown. In very cold or wet gardens you can let it die back and simply protect the root, where it will resprout from the base.

Yes, it grows well in a large, heavy container of rich, free-draining compost, which also makes it easy to move to a frost-free shed or greenhouse over winter. Container plants need frequent watering and feeding in summer to keep the foliage lush.

We always aim to make sure our customers love our products, but if you do need to return an order within 14 days of purchase (not including plants*), or any items are damaged, we’re happy to help. Just email us directly at hello@growtropicals.com, and we’ll take you through the process. 

Please note: we cannot be held liable for any packaging costs should the original packaging be discarded.

*Unfortunately we cannot accept returns of undamaged plants as these are perishable items and are not saleable upon return. If a plant is damaged, we will compensate for this as per our live arrival guarantee.

When placing your order, you can choose from three dispatch speeds to suit your needs: Economy (prepared and shipped within 4-5 days), Standard (3-5 days), or Express (dispatched the very next day). Please keep in mind that "dispatch" refers to the time it takes our team to prepare and pack your items before handing them over to the courier, not the total delivery time.

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Additionally, to protect the health and quality of our live plants, orders containing plants are exclusively shipped Monday through Thursday. This careful scheduling prevents your plants from being stuck in a dark shipping depot over the weekend, ensuring they arrive at your door vibrant and healthy.