How to Grow a Plantain Tree

Plantain trees (Musa paradisiaca) produce starchy cooking bananas in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. This plant grows from an underground rhizome reaching 12 to 15 feet tall with huge leaves, which wrap around the trunk. To obtain fruit, this tree needs 10 to 15 months without freezing temperatures to produce flowers and another four to eight months to grow plantains. Growing a plantain tree takes special care to produce fruit, but even without fruit, this tree is very ornamental.  Read also>> How to root a pinapple crown

1

Remove the weeds in an area with full to filtered sunlight. Pick the warmest area in the garden and take advantage of the reflected heat radiating off buildings and paved areas. Dig a hole with a shovel as deep as the root ball and plant the tree at the same level it was growing at before. Space the tree 4 to 6 feet away from any other plants.

2

Spread a 4- to 6-inch-thick layer of organic mulch around the base of the plantain tree. Keep the mulch 6 inches away from the trunk and extend the mulch circle 4 to 6 feet wide. Mulching keeps the soil from drying out quickly and protects the plantain tree's shallow roots.

3

Water the soil whenever the top of the soil starts to dry out. Plantains need constantly moist soil, but not waterlogged soil. This tree requires a large amount of water during warm weather.

4

Prune away most of the suckers with a pair of pruners. These young plantain plants take away nutrients and moisture from the parent plant. If propagating a new plant, leave one sucker on the plant at a time. Let the sucker grow on the parent plant for six to eight months before removing it. Plant the new plant in a container until it is large enough to plant in the ground.

5

Feed the plantain tree once a month during the summer with balanced slow-release 8-10-8 fertilizer. This tropical plant feeds heavily and mature trees need about 1 to 2 lbs. of fertilizer. Spread the granulated fertilizer in a 4- to 8-foot-wide circle around the plant and scratch it into the top inch of soil with a hand cultivator. Do not sprinkle the fertilizer on the trunk.

6

Cover the plantain with a large blanket during cold weather when the temperature falls below freezing. Place a plugged-in light bulb under the blanket. Freezing temperatures kill the fruit, flowers and leaves of plantain trees that are not protected. The rhizomes survive in the ground at temperatures down to 22 degrees Fahrenheit. If the above ground part dies off, the rhizome will send up new shoots in the spring.

7

Cut plantain bunches from the stalk with a knife when they are ripe. Chop the tree down to the ground and shred the above ground parts for mulch. Spread this around your new plantain tree after you plant it.

Things You Will Need

• Shovel
• Mulch
• Pruners
• Fertilizer
• Hand cultivator
• Blanket
• Light bulb
• Knife