MUSA basjoo 'Sakhalin' (M. japonica Sakhalin)

Excellent selection of the Musa basjoo, the so-called "rustic banana", a perennial herbaceous shooting plant of easy development, belonging to the Musaceae family and native to Southeast Asia. Several herbaceous pseudostems develop from a robust rhizome, these can grow up to 2.50m and are crowned by a tuft of bright green leaves, up to 2m long at maximum development, thin and even 50cm wide. When a pseudostem reaches maturity, usually in the third year of growth, and in summer, a showy inflorescence is formed from the center of the plant, even 1 m long, with numerous creamy white flowers from which numerous fruits come to ripen, short yellow-green bananas, inedible.

This banana tree prefers sunny locations and grows only in areas with hot summers, it can tolerate a partial shade situation. It likes fertile, moist and well-drained soils and does not tolerate windy areas that could damage the large foliage. It has a remarkable resistance to frost, because if a few degrees below zero can damage the pseudostems, the rhizome, if well mulched in autumn, can withstand even -10° and guarantee a rapid and lush spring recovery. It can withstand short periods of drought, but takes advantage of constant summer wetting accompanied perhaps by periodic strong irrigation. It can live near the sea, if a sheltered position from strong winds is provided. It does not require classic pruning but only the elimination of dry pseudo-stems and damaged parts at the vegetative restart. Easy to grow in large containers for hanging gardens, balconies and verandas, it expresses itself at its best in the open ground, quickly dressing large areas with a decidedly exotic flavor.