Musella lasiocarpa

Synonyms, common name of Musella lasiocarpa

Golden Lotus banana, Yunnan Pineapple, Chinese dwarf banana

Origin of Musella lasiocarpa

Extinct in its natural habitat, this snow banana was rediscovered recently in the Chinese province of Yunnan, where it is grown up to 2,500 meters in some rare sites.

Hardiness of Musella lasiocarpa

-10°C

Description of Musella lasiocarpa

The golden lotus banana is a small, compact and beautiful banana tree, with thick short leaves (40 to 50 cm long), and gorgeous yellow bracts, like those of a golden lotus flower. They last up to 8 months.

How to grow Musella lasiocarpa

Plant it in full sun in a rich, light and moist substrate, with copious watering and fertilizer for rapid growth.

The banana leaves freeze in winter, but new leaves grow back from the stump in spring, and new shoots grow around the main stem. Fruit production occurs in the third year if the pseudo-trunk has not frozen. The stem that has borne the fruit dies, but the survival of the banana tree is ensured by the offshoots (avoid moving them in the first year).

Story time

The similarity of the flowers of the Musella to the golden lotus and their golden yellow color make it a sacred plant for the Buddhists; the flower is present in the architecture of many temples, where it is a symbol of purity.