Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish' (AAA Group) (F)

Other common names

Chinese banana, dwarf banana

Synonyms

Musa 'Chinese Cavendish'
Musa nana misapplied
Musa cavendishii

Herbaceous Perennial Conservatory Greenhouse

Buy this from RHS Plants Shop
Buy online from £39.99 Buy this from Plant Nurseries
12 Suppliers

An evergreen perennial to 3m tall, with oblong leaves to 1.2m long; drooping spikes of yellow flowers with purple bracts open sporadically through the year, followed by edible yellow fruit

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 10–20 years
Max Spread: 1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H1B

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Musaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Suckering
Genus: Musa are suckering evergreen perennials with very large, paddle-shaped leaves whose stalk-bases form a false stem, and clusters of tubular flowers with colourful bracts, followed by cylindrical fruits
Name Status: Accepted
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: This genus produces fruit, but not necessarily edible fruit

How to Grow

Cultivation

As a summer bedding plant, grow in humus-rich soil in a sheltered position in full sun. In a container, use peat-free John Innes No 3 and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly. At the end of the season, pot up to overwinter under cover or protect in situ with straw and chicken wire. Keep just moist in winter. See banana cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed as soon as ripe at 21-24°C (70-75°F). Pre-soak spring-sown seed for 24 hours . Separate suckers in early spring, removing older leaves. Divide established clumps every 5 years

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants

Pruning

No pruning required under glass. Outside, remove old leaves at end of season

Pests

Glasshouse red spider mite, mealybugs and aphids may be troublesome, especially under glass

Diseases

Generally disease-free