Musa basjoo

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Musa basjoo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Zingiberales Family: Musaceae Genus: Musa Species: M. basjoo
Binomial name
Musa basjoo

Musa basjoo, the Japanese Fiber Banana, also known as the "hardy" banana.

The most cold-hardy banana species, its corms have been known to survive in climates as cold as southern Ontario, Canada, and the northern border states of the American Midwest, such as Michigan and Wisconsin. The plant has become popular with gardeners in the past ten years, due its rapid growth, tropical look, and ease of care. A young offset, or "pup", planted out in the spring, can often reach ten to twelve feet in height by the autumn.

In colder climates, it is necessary to give the underground corm and aboveground stem heavy mulch in order for them to survive the winter.

This plant is unlikely to flower or fruit in extreme northern areas of its range, but further south, may produce ornamental flowers and small, inedible fruits.

In its home range in Japan, the fibers of the plant are used to produce textiles.