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Musa basjoo - Siebold.&Zucc.

Common Name Japanese Banana
Family Musaceae
USDA hardiness 7-10
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Not known
Range E. Asia - Japan.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Frost Hardy Moist Soil Full sun
Musa basjoo Japanese Banana


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Javier_martin
Musa basjoo Japanese Banana

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Musa basjoo is an evergreen Perennial growing to 3 m (9ft) by 2 m (6ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in leaf all year. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant).
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

M. japonica.

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Cultivated Beds; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Nectar
Edible Uses:

The nectar of the flowers is sweet and drinkable[183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Diuretic  Febrifuge  Sialagogue

The roots are diuretic, febrifuge and sialagogue[147]. A decoction is used in the treatment of beriberi, constipation, jaundice, dropsy, restlessness due to heat, leucorrhoea and croton bean poisoning[147, 218]. The leaves are diuretic[218].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

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Other Uses

Fibre

A fibre is obtained from the leaf stems[1, 11, 61]. Used for cloth, sails etc[46, 134]. The fibre can also be used for making paper[189] The leaves are harvested in summer and are soaked in water for 24 hours prior to cooking. The fibres are cooked for 2 hours with lye and then beaten in a ball mill for 4½ hours before being made into paper[189].

Special Uses

Carbon Farming

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Industrial Crop: Fiber  Management: Managed Multistem  Regional Crop

Requires a rich soil and a sunny sheltered position[11, 166, 200]. The large leaves are very easily torn by the wind[233]. This species is only hardy in the milder areas of Britain and even there will require protection in colder winters[1]. It thrives and fruits in south-western Britain[11, 59] where it survived the very severe winters of 1985 to 1987[K]. Plants are herbaceous and die down after flowering, forming new shoots from the roots. Cultivated in Japan as a fibre plant[11].

Carbon Farming

  • Industrial Crop: Fiber  Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!
  • Management: Managed Multistem  Regularly removing some multiple stems. A non-A non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
  • Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse[134]. The seed usually germinates rapidly. Pre-soak stored seed for 72 hours in warm water, if it is still floating then it is not viable. Sow in a warm greenhouse in spring, planting one large seed in each pot. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 24 weeks at 22°c[134]. Grow the plants on in the greenhouse for at least 3 years before trying them outdoors. The seed remains viable for 2 years[134]. Removal of suckers as the plant comes into growth in spring.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: China (south)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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Musa balbisianaPlantain, Plantain BananaPerennial5.0 9-12 FLMHSNM412
Musa textilisAbacaPerennial3.0 10-12 FLMHNM005
Musa x paradisiacaBananaPerennial8.0 10-12 FLMHNM522
Musanga cecropioidesCorkwoodTree20.0 10-12 FLMHNM344

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Siebold.&Zucc.

Botanical References

11200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Elizabeth Ann Rawden   Wed Aug 9 2006

very interesting, as I have fruiting six foot tall plant in my garden. Whole process an education to the grandchildren. June, July August, 2006, very hot & humid, producing very large leaves and four sets of small bananas. Many base plantlets.

   Mar 19 2014 12:00AM

I Live just outside Washington DC in Fort Washington MD, I border between zone 7a and 7B. I have had this wonderful plant in my yard for about 5 years now, it dies back to the ground each year. I always put a heavy mulch each winter and glad I did this year. This will be the hardest winter, I have my fingers crossed it will come back

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Subject : Musa basjoo  
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