Musa acuminata ssp. zebrina

Ornamental Banana, Blood Banana, Zebra Banana, ‘Rojo’, ‘Zebrina’

One of the beautifulest of all ornamental bananas of the section Musa. The leaves are red striped, the fruits are containing seeds and not edible. The plant grows at least to 10 feet tall, in the pot a bit smaller. It is often offered in garden centers and nurseries. One good hardy alternative for Europe, North America and the coldest regions of Brazil is Musa sikkimensis ‚Red Tiger’ with its very similary leaf texture. The origin is unknown, probably one cultivar. Where it's too cold for Musa acuminata ssp. zebrina in Southern Brazil like in Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina und Paraná, Musa sikkimensis 'Red Tiger' should planted as one alternative there, practically in whole Brazil bananas could grown in all cilmate zones, only the right species or cultivar must be chosen.

On 17th September 2009 I planted two pups of this cultivar from Helton Josué into the lawn of my front garden out. Unfortunately they did not thrive well in the long run, the plants suffered by severe frost damages from 28th June 2011 and this species is sensitive to cold, and then I transplanted into the special garden at the pond. It is not so as robust as the new disease resistant cultivars from Embrapa.

Musa acuminata ssp. zebrina (Photo: Lucian Badescu, Canada)

Musa acuminata ssp. zebrina with fruit (Photo: S. Sharrock, INIBAP, France)

Musa acuminata ssp. zebrina in our garden in December 2009.

Leaf underside of Musa acuminata ssp. zebrina in our garden.

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