Ensete ventricosum

(Abessinian Banana)

A very big decorating banana from the Ethiopian highland, tolerates a little shade and need a lot of space. The leaves are gigantic, to 15 feet (!) long, the middle rib is red. It is suitable very well as pot plant, needs much room, a large winter garden would be suitable. This banana doesn't sucker, will be propagated by seeds and tissue culture. It forms suckers however in exceptions at destruction of the vegetation point such as after frost influence. It grows fast and seldom flourishes in northern climates. Young plants can get 8 feet tall within one year if it is outplanted.

There are some rumors someplace in the internet, that this species was overwintered successfully outdoors even in more northern areas of France, with caution this has to be enjoyed.

If this species is overwintered in mild areas with very good winter protection (approximately as of USDA zone 8, probably 8b) with rain protection (the mulch layer must be kept dry in any case) outdoors, you could have success. Otherwise you should overwinter this species by means of wire bag method, digging up so the plant in fall, cutting the leaves off (do not cut the pseudotrunk back otherwise the plant will not survive), overwinter then the plant completely dry at 40°F frostfree (may overwinter dark), the plant then outplant in May again, it will then resprout again.