Rock banana (Ensete superbum)

Product description

The rock banana is native to the Western Ghats, a vast 1,600-kilometre-long mountain range in southwest India. The altitude at which it grows makes it resistant to some frost. In that conditions, however, the leaves do die off, leaving only the bulbous stem. In its natural range, leaf dying also happens, but caused by drought. By letting the leaves die, the plant can avoid evaporation and thus survive a dry period. The bulbous stem gives the banana a special, palm-like appearance, where the scars of old leaves are visible and a circumference of 2.5 metres can be reached. The leaves can grow up to 3 metres long, but the short trunk allows the plant to reach a maximum height of 4 metres. The plant can bloom with a dark red inflorescence containing dozens of inconspicuous flowers. They are followed by green bananas that are high in fibre and therefore inedible.

The species can be kept as a container plant, but it could also be grown in the garden with winter protection. The minimum temperature is around -5 degC, but as a container plant, we would advise to move the plant indoors at frost. Provide a sunny spot and well-drained soil.

Sowing description: First scarify the seeds in 1 spot with sandpaper until a colour difference is visible. Then soak for 24 hours in water and sow in sowing mix. Keep the soil constantly slightly moist and allow to germinate at about 25grC. Germination can follow as long as the seeds are hard.