Musa balbisiana

(Wild Plantain, genuine Japanese Fiber Banana)

This is the ancestor of the fruit bananas, today's modern fruit bananas have arisen from crosses with Musa acuminata. Primarily cook bananas are descended from it. It is resident in Northern India, China (highly probably also Yunnan) and Southeast Asia, she is grown for the fiber production in Southern Japan. Their hardiest origins almost shall be nearly as hardy as Musa basjoo, approximately between Musa basjoo and sikkimensis. This means, they are suitable for USDA zone 8, probably even for USDA zone 7. Aleady 3 explicit outdoor sites are existing in Germany, one in the Cologne Flora (botanical garden in Cologne) where it is overwintering at the same as Musa basjoo outdoors.

The specimen of Musa balbisiana in the Cologne Flora shows bluish white pseudotrunks and bluish leaves with red leaf underside.

To obtain an optimal hardiness you should choose only the hardiest origins, primarily the north Indian Himalaya origins and and also Chinese mountain origins. The hardiness is variable between different origins, most less hardy are the tropical southeast Asian origins which you often see on public places and parks on Tenerife/Canary Islands.

The plant becomes over 4.50 m high, in Germany well a little smaller. It forms many suckers and is to propagate easily. The fruits almost already look just like that one of the fruit bananas, are however full of seeds and non-edible.

One Indian exotic nursery  web site also shows on one page fruits and flowers of Musa balbisiana and more description of the plant, please click the link on.

Musa balbisiana in the Cologne Flora in July 2001

Musa balbisiana in one hotel garden in Puerto de la Cruz/Tenerife/Canary Islands