Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Today's Favorite Plant - Musa sikkimensis 'Red Tiger'

I thought Red Tiger was a gonner this spring, because it came up so late. So late, that I planted another shrub over it, which I later had to move.


From the monsoonal mountain forests in extreme Eastern India, this colorful variegated, variety of banana is as cold hardy as the regular Musa sikkimensis.

When they are mature, its huge, paddle-like leaves are streaked with dark purple zebra stripes on the upper surface and a reddish purple below.

In summer, mature plants bear long-lasting yellow flowers.

Grow to 10" tall. Zone 7, but still needs wrapped/mulched in the fall. I didn't do that last winter - oops!




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2 comments:

  1. I never did quite "get" all the fuss over the Musas, but this one could change all that.

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    1. I also tried Musa basjoo, but that one didn't make it through winter. Red Tiger is so much prettier.

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