Family
Musaceae
Botanical Name
MUSA 'Giant Cavendish'( Cavendish, A A A Group)
Plant Common Name
Banana, Giant Cavendish Banana
General Description
This banana cultivar is an upright, fast growing, ornamental tropical herb (not a tree) with large, flat, green leaves that produces commercially important hands of edible banana fruits. This clone has dozens of local cultivars worldwide, all varying minutely in height or the shade of the fruits. Broadly speaking, 'Giant Cavendish' is intermediate in mature growth between the larger Pisang types and the slightly shorter Dwarf Cavendish clones. As with all bananas, each stem flowers and sets fruit only once before dying. That stem, or cane, is chopped out as the banana hand is harvested so that the other stems can grow fully.
Banana plants love warm fertile soils with consistent moisture. Full sun exposures are best and a long growing season is required to set the flowering stalk and subsequent fruits. Avoid sandy, poor soils unless compost, mulch or other rich organic matter can be placed over the root zone. These plants are often root-hardy in warmer temperate zones and rejuvenate after spring frosts. Large but thin, the leave may shred in high winds. The exotic and tropical look of the banana, even without flowering, is reason enough to grow this plant, although the height of 'Giant Cavendish' recommends it more for home fruit production than ornamental use.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 7
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USDA Hardiness Zone
9 - 15
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Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Fruit
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
10'-14' / 3.0m - 4.3m
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Width
6'-8' / 1.8m - 2.4m
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Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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Native To
Hybrid Origin
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White, Light Yellow
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Fruit Color
Yellow, Green, Gold
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Green
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
Yes
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
Yes
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Bold
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No