Musa velutina

The pink banana is a tropical perennial in the Musaceae or banana family that is generally grown as an ornamental and has decorative fruits in subtropical climates. It typically grows to 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. It is hardy to zone 7b to 11. The leaves are large, paddle-shaped, dark green, and measure 3 feet long. In late summer the creamy flowers with pink bracts emerge and are quickly followed by clusters of small pink velvety fruits. The fruit is sweet and edible, but it is full of hard black seeds. They ripen and then split open. The bananas are so seedy that is not worth the trouble to try to eat them.

The pink banana is native to East Himalaya to Assam. It is found primarily in subtropical areas.

The genus name, Musa, is named in honor of Antonia Musa, who was a Roman physician in the 1st century B.C. Musa is also a male name of Arabic origin. It means "saved from the water" and is based on the name Moses. The specific epithet, velutina, is Latin and means "velvety" and most likely references the pink velvety fruit of the pink banana.

This plant performs best in full sun and moist, well-drained, humus-rich soils. It does not tolerate drought and will need to be watered frequently. A sheltered location is preferred to prevent wind damage to the foliage. The plants will die back to the ground when cold weather appears, and they will reemerge in the spring. It is evergreen in warmer frost-free climates and is propagated by seeds or division.

The trunk is called a pseudo-stem or false stem which has layers of leaf sheaths that are rolled into cylinder-like shapes. The leaves emerge from the center of the pseudo-stem. After planting, it will take 9 to 12 months for the pink banana to produce flowers and another 3 months for the fruits to ripen.

Consider the pink banana to add a tropical feel to your landscape. It may be used as a specimen, container plant, and planted around a patio or pool. In colder climates, it will need to be brought indoors or allowed to die back during the winter season.

Seasons of Interest:

Bloom: Summer      Foliage: Spring and Summer; evergreen in subtropical areas    Fruit: Summer and Fall

Quick ID Hints:

• paddle-shaped, dark green leaves, 3 feet long
• cream to yellow flowers in arching spikes with pink bracts
• bright pink, 3-inch long, velvety bananas with multiple hard black seeds and creamy white flesh

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The pink banana has no serious insect or disease problems. Monitor red spider mites, mealybugs, and aphids.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.