Musa sikkimensis 'Bengal Tiger'
Darjeeling banana 'Bengal Tiger'
A fast-growing, half-hardy, upright, suckering perennial to 4m tall with very large, paddle-like glossy green foliage with random mahongany-red stripes. Mature plants may bear long-lasting, yellow-brown flowers enclosed in purple bracts from summer into autumn, followed by yellowish fruits
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Size
Growing conditions
Colour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
Aspect
Exposure
Botanical details
- Family
- Musaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- 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
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Under glass, grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full light, with shade from hot sun. Water freely while in growth and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser every month; keep just moist in winter. Repot every 1 or 2 years in spring. Outdoors grow in sheltered site in humus-rich soil and either bring pots indoors, or provide winter protection in the form of biodegradable horticultural fleece and hessian wraps. See banana cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by sowing pre-soaked seed in spring. Separate suckers in early spring, removing older leaves
Suggested planting locations and garden types
Pruning
Remove damaged or dead leaves
Pests
May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, mealybugs and aphids
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
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