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MUSA 'Giant Cavendish'

Image of Musa 'Giant Cavendish' (Cavendish, A A A Group)

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

  • AHS Heat Zone

    12 - 7

  • USDA Hardiness Zone

    9 - 15

  • Sunset Zone

    H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24

  • Plant Type

    Fruit

  • Sun Exposure

    Full Sun, Partial Sun

  • Height

    10'-14' / 3.0m - 4.3m

  • Width

    6'-8' / 1.8m - 2.4m

  • Bloom Time

    Indeterminate

  • Native To

    Hybrid Origin

Growing Conditions

  • Soil pH

    Acidic, Neutral

  • Soil Drainage

    Well Drained

  • Soil type

    Loam, Sand

  • Growth Rate

    Very Fast

  • Water Requirements

    Average Water

  • Habit

    Clump-Forming

  • Seasonal Interest

    Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Ornamental Features

  • Flower Interest

    Showy

  • Flower Color

    White, Light Yellow

  • Fruit Color

    Yellow, Green, Gold

  • Foliage Color (Spring)

    Green

  • Foliage Color (Summer)

    Green

  • Foliage Color (Fall)

    Green

  • Foliage Color (Winter)

    Green

  • Fragrant Flowers

    No

  • Fragrant Fruit

    Yes

  • Fragrant Foliage

    No

  • Bark or Stem Fragrant

    No

  • Flower Petal Number

    Single

  • Repeat Bloomer

    No

  • Showy Fruit

    Yes

  • Edible Fruit

    Yes

  • Showy Foliage

    Yes

  • Foliage Texture

    Bold

  • Foliage Sheen

    Matte

  • Evergreen

    Yes

  • Showy Bark

    No

Special Characteristics

  • Usage

    Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical

  • Sharp or Has Thorns

    Yes

  • Invasive

    No

  • Attracts

    Hummingbirds

  • Self-Sowing

    No