Plants: Ensete ventricosum - Red Abyssinian Banana

Synonyms:Ensete edule, Musa ensete, Musa arnoldiana, Ensete arnoldianum | The size of this ornamental banana tree can reach over 35 feet depending mainly on the warmth and duration of your growing season. The leaf stems are noticeably lower on the pseudostem causing a wider overall look. As the older leaves die back their leaf stems remain attatched to the trunk. The lower trunk becomes swollen with age as the plant becomes taller. The leaves are generally 8' long and 4' wide. Usually several years pass before flowering takes place. The showy flowers occur en masse on a thick, 10' long hanging pendulum.

This is a vigourous, fast growing plant and is more tolerant of coolness than most varieties. The large black seeds are the size of a medium sized marble.

Publisher: Hirts Gardens