Growing Banana Plants indoors is a wonderfully satisfying thing to do. While an indoor banana plant is unlikely to produce fruit, what you will find is beautiful, delicate leaves with intricate patterns on them, juxtaposed with the strong, tall, dominating stalk. As tropical plants go, the banana plant has be up there as one of the most interesting to grow at home.
Like other tropical plants, the Banana Plant comes with a wide range of benefits that span much wider than just how they look (which, as we've already discussed, is a major plus point). Having around them can improve our mood, our productivity, the air we breathe, reduce stress and having something to care for helps us switch our focus from work. It helps bring us balance.
Indoor Banana Plants require more attention than a lot of other plants - not a huge amount, and we're here to help you know everything you need to know about how to care for Banana Plants, so there is nothing to fear. Read on for everything you need to know.
Are Banana Plants easy to care for?
Caring for a Banana Plant indoors is relatively easy, once you know what you're doing. It doesn't really take up much more of your time than other plants will, but it does require a little more knowledge than many others - which is exactly what we're going to provide you with in this blog!
If you've had other indoor plants, and you've managed to keep on top of watering them, then there isn't anything that you should be worried about here. You are qualified to have a Banana Plant inside your home!
What are Banana Plants?
The kind of banana plants that you are likely to grow in your house are dwarf plants, most likely the Musa Dwarf Cavendish variety. This type of plant grows in the Canary Islands, where it enjoys the warm conditions and bright light from the sun. They have a few other names, which are all self-explanatory, like Dwarf Banana Plant, Banana Plant and Banana Tree. If you hear any of these names in the context of houseplants, it's likely they are referring to the Dwarf Cavendish.
Despite the name, these 'dwarf' varieties are actually quite large for indoor plants, and can grow up to 3 meters tall (keep this in mind, they will need space to grow). We get asked a lot "can you grow bananas indoors" - unfortunately, most banana plants will not produce edible bananas if grown indoors (our winters are just too dark and cold, even indoors), but that doesn't stop it from being an excellent houseplant.
How to care for a Banana Plant
We'll now go into detail, describing everything you need to know about looking after a potted indoor Banana Plant, before listing our quick-look guide for your convenience.
The main aspect of Banana Plant indoor care that you will need to master is the watering schedule. Like most things, this is all about balance. Banana Plants require a lot of water, but they really do not like being left sitting in water, as this causes root rot. The key test is to check on the condition of the top two or three centimetres of the soil - if that is dry then it needs a little drink, and then let it drain through. If that top soil is moist, it doesn't need any water.
Little and often is probably the best rule to follow. You're better off giving it a small amount of water regularly, rather than a big drink less frequently. It will require more water during the growing season (the Spring and Summer months) as opposed to the Autumn and Winter months.
Getting the right soil is also important, for the same reason. You need that water to drain through, not just sit there, so well draining soil is a must. Make sure you have sufficient drainage holes to avoid waterlogging.
In terms of light, they like it to be bright. As they hail from islands near the equator, they are used to being in the full sun for many hours - so try to find a sunny spot in your home on your window sill. They can handle a bit of shade, but if you really want to help those beautiful leaves grow to fulfil their potential, make sure your Musa plant gets plenty of light.
One more thing you can do to help them feel at home is give them a little mist in the morning - just a little spray with water. It's not essential to do this every morning, but every now and then would be very much appreciated!
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Origins: Canary Islands
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How much light: Plenty of bright, indirect natural light
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Water requirements: About once a week, when the top 2-3 cm of the soil is dry. More in the Summer than Winter.
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Feeding:
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Humidity requirements: A quick spritz with a water mist in the mornings would really help it feel at home!
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Soil requirements: Well-draining rich, peat-based potting mix or cactus compost
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Temperature requirements: 18°C to 27°C, minimum 10°C
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Pruning requirements: The delicate leaves may fall off every now and then - that's fine. Remove any damaged or dead leaves, and you can prune away any offshoots at the base of the plant if you want to keep it to a single-stem plant.
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Repotting: These plants need space to grow - make sure your pot is around double the size of the roots to avoid stunted growth.
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Pests and diseases: Other than root rot, which we've covered, look out for common pests like spider mites, mealybugs and aphids, which may cause yellow bumps to appear on the leaves. Protect banana plants by wiping them off with a damp cloth if you see them.
Propagating Banana Plants
You can grow banana plants from a mother plant - all you need to do is take it out of the pot and shake off the soil. Then, using a sharp knife, separate a section of rhizomes which have at least three nodes attached to them. All you need to do then is put this in a small pot, water well and your baby banana plant will grow! Your new Banana Plant will need repotting to a large container as it grows.
Perfect your indoor plant setup with Prickle
While you're unlikely to be munching on edible fruits from your Banana Plant, if you follow the steps above you will be able to delight in the wonder of these attractive houseplants - a new centrepiece for your display.
Don't stop there, though - combine these with the lil Banana Plant, the Red Banana Croton or any other small or large house plants to complete your ideal setup.