Musa

Musa 'Dwarf Cavendish'

Banana 'Dwarf Cavendish'

• 
  Bright light
• 
  Easy care

• Musa likes...
  • 
    Regular watering

    She likes her soil to stay slightly moist. Water her when the top two inches of soil feel dry.

  • 
    Bright light

    She will be ok in light shade, but she grows best in bright light. She can handle some direct sun.

  • 
    Humidity

    Remind her of her jungle home by keeping the humidity high. She loves to be misted regularly.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Dwarf Cavendish

  Nickname

  Banana plant

  Plant type

  Perennial, indoor

  Air purifying

  Yes

  Plant height (including pot)

  70-80cm; 140-150cm

  Pet/baby safe

  Yes

  Nursery pot size

  21cm; 35cm

• About dwarf Cavendish

  The plant that became known as the Cavendish banana was first brought to the UK in 1834, by the chaplain of Alton Towers, a stately home now better known as a theme park. The plants were gifted to William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire, who had them cultivated in his greenhouses and then named them after himself. Well, why wouldn’t you?

  They now grow all over the world, in places with lots of sun and humidity. This particular species is known as the dwarf Cavendish because it doesn’t grow very tall, maxing out at around three metres. It’s unlikely to even get as tall as that as an indoor plant, but it’s still a very large plant. Its leaves are enormous, so it’s a good one for homes with lots of space.

  The dwarf Cavendish is a fast grower in the right conditions. It likes a lot of light and will even be happy with some direct sun throughout the day. Let its soil dry out a little between waterings, but make sure to keep it regularly misted as those giant leaves need a lot of moisture. You can help it grow healthily by giving it a feed with liquid fertiliser once per month in spring and summer.

  Don’t worry if you ever see tears in its leaves. Because of their size, they can be fairly easy to damage, but it grows so quickly that it will soon replace any broken growth.

  Please note that despite the name, this banana tree won’t fruit. You’d need a considerably hotter house for that.

  Did you know?

  Cavendish bananas are the most popular banana in the world.