Gardening Tips for Growing Musa Velutina
Musa Velutina is a pink fruited banana plant although it does not produce the type of yellow bananas found in grocery stores. However, while the Musa Velutina is grown as an ornamental plant, some do produce edible fruit although they taste nothing like the standard banana. Actually, this type of fruit is loaded with seeds and with minimal flesh, most people simply pass on eating them. Instead, the plant is more for appearance, yielding pink fruit and gorgeous pink flowers.
For people living in zones where the Musa Velutina can be grown, this plant makes an impressive statement. Whether planted as a single plant, in a flowerbed, or garden with other plants, it stands out. Along with the fruit and flowers being beautiful, the plant overall is extremely appealing. For someone that wants something unique, unlike other plants in the neighborhood, the Musa Velutina is the ideal choice.
This particular plant grows between four and six feet tall and about four feet wide. The leaves make their own statement due to size, which can be from 12 to 24 inches. Although the Musa Velutina can easily reach upwards of six feet high when mature, it is still a small plant when compared to other types of tropical plant species. One of the benefits of this plant is that after seeds have been planted, within about a year, both fruit and flowers are already on display.
The pink, banana-shaped fruit of the Musa Velutina is covered with fine hairs, giving it the nickname of “Hairy Banana”. Surprisingly, while this is a tropical type plant, it is very hardy. While the foliage of this plant will begin to die when temperatures reach 30 degrees, the plant itself can survive. In fact, people have reported the Musa Velutina surviving temperatures as low as 20 degrees. On the other hand, the plant also flourishes in warm, tropical climates, making it a versatile choice.
One of the key elements to growing a strong and healthy Musa Velutina is that it must have regular watering. It is important that the plant not be overwatered but the soil should always be moist. Additionally, this ornamental plant does not do well in regions with low humidity levels and it prefers partial shade or filtered light. Meeting these few requirements and the Musa Velutina does amazingly well.
To propagate the Musa Velutina, seeds, tubers, rhizomes, and offsets are used although seeds are the preferred method. Seeds should be planted when the temperature is around 80 degrees and once in the ground, they will sprout in three to four months. When seeds fall off the plant, they can be gathered, dried, and stored in an airtight container until ready to use. Although native to Asia, the Musa Velutina is commonly grown in the US, specifically California, Florida, Hawaii, and Texas.
For anyone who wants something unique and beautiful, the Musa Velutina makes a wonderful statement. Best of all, this type of plant is affordable and with a little care, it grows quite easily.