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Hardy Banana (Musa basjoo)
Yes, you can winter over bananas in your northern garden (Zone 4 and higher) and get a defining tropical look when spring bursts through. Our outside banana stand of Musa basjoo is almost 12’ in height. After the first hard frost, we prune the bananas back to about a foot and mulch with hay so there is approx. 3’ of hay around all sides. The mulch helps to insulate the crown. Then, we simply wait until all the snow is gone, the nighttime temperatures warm to about 40°F and presto - we have tricked “Old Man Winter” and uncover our tropical jewels of the jungle.
Please note: the stem will be soft and gelatinous but the crown underneath the soil will sprout the new shoots.