Plant Min Zone: 6a
Plant Max Zone: 10b
Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun
Water / Rainfall: Average, High, Very High
Soil Quality: Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Summer
Flower Color: Yellow
Berry / Fruit Color: None
Spring Foliage Color: Green
Summer Foliage Color: Green
Fall Foliage Color: Green
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: No
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: Low, Medium
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low, Medium
Humidity Tolerance: High
Wind Tolerance: Low
Poor Soil Tolerance: No Extreme Soils
Height: 3' - 5'
Width: 3' - 5'
Growth Rate: Medium, Fast
Service Life: Medium: 3-5 years
Maintenance Need: Medium
Spreading Potential: Low
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to Ground Around First Fall Freeze: No Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Specimen Planting of 1-3
Best Side of House: South Exposure, West Exposure, East Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Base of Retaining Wall Locations, Resistant to Rabbits
Ornamental Features: Multiple Seasons of Interest, Large Tropical Foliage / Flowers, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: None
Possible Pest Problems: None
Plant Limitations: May get Occasional Winter-kill, Needs Regular Irrigation, Needs Thick Winter Mulch, Late to Emerge or Leaf Out in Spring
This magnificent ornamental banana relative is more of a shrub than the typical banana "tree". The lower trunk is more swollen and grey-green leaves are more stiff and wind tolerant. Heights of about 3-5' with equal spread are typical in Kansas. This plant is grown more for its flowers but this rarely occurs in our colder climate: beautiful tropical foliage and growth form make up for it though! In Eastern Kansas, typically our 40 inches of rainfall is sufficient without extra water in good soils. This species will tolerate some degree of drought but fastest growth will occur in rich well-drained soils with extra water and fertilizer provided during the summer. Great for summer wet areas in full sun or around swimming pools (creates no messes). It will not tolerate excessively wet soils during dormancy. Chinese Yellow Banana will slowly divide and send up offsets close to the main trunk; this is a desirable sign that it is establishing well. Sunburning can happen with summer temperatures over 105 degrees F but it will quickly outgrow the damage. These bananas need at least 1/2 day of full sun and protection from excessive winds to properly grow. In our trial gardens in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a), a well established specimen has thrived for 5 years and counting. During the arctic blast of February, 2021, lows down to -17 degrees F on Feb 16th, 2021 were recorded. The longevity of this cold blast was also impressive: 10 days on a row with highs of 10-15 degrees F or lower, 8 nights of lows in the single digits and negatives, and 36 straight hours of 0 degrees F and mostly lower. A hard ground freeze was inevitable.