Musa — 7 species
Botanical species in the genus Musa recorded in the PlantPeers database.
Musa acuminata
Musa acuminata
Family: Musaceae
Cultivation
A plant of the moist to humid tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 2,400 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 23 - 33°c, but can tolerate 12 - 42°c. The optimal temperature for fruit production is about 27°c, and night time temperatures should not fall much below 18°c when the fruit is ripening or flavour can be impaired.
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Musa balbisiana
Musa balbisiana
Family: Musaceae
Cultivation
A plant of the humid tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 23 - 28°c, but can tolerate 16 - 38°c. Mature growth can be killed by temperatures of 8°c or lower, whilst young growth can be killed at 12°c.
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Musa basjoo
Musa basjoo
Family: Musaceae
Cultivation
Musa basjoo is a subtropical species and is only hardy in the milder areas of the temperate zone. Top growth is cut back to the ground in cold weather, but the roots can survive several degrees of frost with the plant growing back in the spring. The plant usually thrives and fruits in south-western Britain where it survived the very severe winters of 1985 to 1987.
Full cultivation guide →Musa salaccensis
Musa salaccensis
Family: Musaceae
Cultivation
A plant of the moist tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 24 - 30°c, but can tolerate 15 - 35°c. Dormant plants can be killed by temperatures of 8°c or lower, whilst young growth can be killed at 12°c.
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Musa textilis
Musa textilis
Family: Musaceae
Cultivation
A plant of the hot, humid tropics adapted to an average relative humidity of about 80%. The present zone of successful cultivation lies within the latitudinal range 15°N and 5°S. In the Philippines it is usually grown in regions below 500 metres in elevations but it can be grown in the tropics at altitudes between sea level and 1100 metres.
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Musa troglodytarum
Musa troglodytarum
Family: Musaceae
Cultivation
A plant of hot, wet, tropical lowlands. Bunches of the fruits are sometimes buried in mud to hasten the ripening process.
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Musa x paradisiaca
Musa x paradisiaca
Family: Musaceae
Cultivation
The optimal temperature for fruit production is about 27°c, and night time temperatures should not fall much below 18°c when the fruit is ripening or flavour can be impaired. Requires a sunny sheltered position in a well-drained fertile soil with a pH between 6 and 7.5. There are very many named varieties, but two main types can be distinguished:- Dessert bananas which become very sweet when fully ripe.
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