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Perennials, Tropicals > Ensete > Ensete ventricosum > Ensete ventricosum

Ensete ventricosum


Abyssinian Banana, Ethiopian or False Banana, Red Banana, Wild Banana




Origin:  Ensete ventricosum's name was first published 1948 in Kew Bull. 1947, p. 101. Its synonyms include Musa arnoldiana De Wild., Musa ventricosa Welw. or Musa ensete J. F. Gmel.
Family
Musaceae
Genus
Ensete
Species
ventricosum
Category
Perennials, Tropicals
Synonyms
Musa arnoldiana, Musa ventricosa, Musa ensete
USDA Hardiness Zone
10a - 10b
Canadian Hardiness Zone
Requires cool season protection under glass.
RHS Hardiness Zone
H2
Temperature (°C)
1 - 5
Temperature (°F)
34 - 40
Height
2 - 6 m
Spread
3 m
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
General Description
Ensete ventricosum is a herbaceous perennial with large, decorative leaves with striking purple midrib and produces red banana-like fruit that is a staple food crop in Ethiopia.
Landscape
Best suited to a more sheltered garden. A popular ornamental with striking tropical foliage. Needs lots of space.
Cultivation
Grow in a sunny, sheltered location away from wind, requires moist soil. In temperate regions, Marginally more robust than the traditional, cultivated banana (Musa).
Shape
Mounding in youth, tree-like at maturity.
Growth
Fast
Pests
Apparent lack of pests and diseases when grown outdoors. Mealybug may be of concern on plants grown indoors.
Habitat
Open mountain forests of North Africa to Ethiopia.
Leaf Description
Upward pointing, can grow up to 6 m long.
Notable Specimens
The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens and School of Horticulture, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
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