Musa Dwarf Cavendish Banana

An eye-catching, fast-growing evergreen perennial that brings instant tropical drama to a garden, conservatory, or bright room. Large, glossy, paddle-shaped leaves unfurl in a spiral, often showing attractive maroon or purple mottling when young before maturing to rich green. In the right conditions, it can produce drooping flower spikes with purple bracts, followed by genuine (if ornamental) edible bananas.

Best in full sun to partial shade, in a warm, sheltered spot with humus-rich, well-drained soil. In containers, use a peat-free John Innes No. 3 compost and feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser through the growing season. Keep the compost consistently moist in summer, tailing off to just moist through winter, and protect from frost — either by moving containers under cover or, if grown outdoors, wrapping the base well with straw and chicken wire over winter. Not fully hardy in the UK, so treat as a conservatory or patio specimen that comes in for the colder months.

Non-toxic, with no toxins reported in the leaves or fruit, making it a safe choice for gardens with children or pets.

A vigorous grower reaching around 2.5-4m outdoors given the right conditions, though typically more compact when grown in a container. Hand-selected here at Pengelly for strong form and healthy growth.