Hardy Banana plant profile
Musa basjoo
A perennial flower for full sun.
Last updated .
When to plant
When to plant Hardy Banana
Plant or set out the hardy banana in spring after the last frost, in a sheltered spot with consistently moist soil. In zones 5 to 8 the top dies back each winter; cut the stems to about 2 feet after frost and mulch heavily so the cold-hardy rhizome regrows from the base in spring.
The calendar shows this cited seasonal window as an approximate band. It does not convert the season into frost-adjusted dates.
Open Hardy Banana in my garden calendarShows the source-backed planting season, not frost-adjusted dates.
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5 to 8.5
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Spacing
- 72 to 168 in apart
- Hardiness
- Zones 5a to 10bFind my hardiness zone
Common problems
Watch for these
Also watch for: top dies back to ground in cold zones, wind damage to leaves, inedible fruit.
Next steps
Continue with Hardy Banana
Evidence trail
Evidence behind this profile
Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.
- Musa basjoo (Hardy Banana, Japanese Banana)
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (NC State Extension). Supports general reference. Checked 2026-06-18.