Have a banana!
Musa cavendishii (Dwarf banana) belongs to the same family as the plant which produces the edible banana and is similar in appearance, although much smaller. In the wild it bears fruits that are edible. As a house plant it only grows to heights of 1.5m but they do need a lot of space to accomodate their broad leaves. Originating from tropical asia and the western pacific, and it’s broad, shiny exotic-looking leaves give any interior decor a tropical accent. Musa are not woody and their apparent ‘stem’ is made up of the bases of the huge leaf stalks. Therefore they are technically gigantic herbs.
Health Fact: Musa’s large leaves cause it to transpire moisture into the air at a very high rate, making them a great choice for dry rooms. They are also reasonable at removing toxins.
Environment: Musa need light, warmth and humidity to thrive, therefore unless you can offer full sun or at least high-indirect light, do not try to use this plant indoors.
Care: Keep constantly moist, but do not allow compost to become wet. Feed whilst in growth and producing fruit. Keep an eye out for scale insects and mealy bug.
