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Musa sikkimensis 'Red Tiger'

Darjeeling banana 'Red Tiger'

An upright, suckering perennial to 4m tall with large, glossy leaves with a maroon-red midrib, dark purple-red striping across the leaves on the upper surface and purple shading beneath. Mature plants may bear long-lasting, yellow-brown flowers enclosed in purple bracts from summer into autumn followed by yellowish fruits

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Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral, Alkaline

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Musaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Suckering
Genus: Musa are suckering evergreen perennials with very large, paddle-shaped leaves whose stalk-bases form a false stem, and clusters of tubular flowers with colourful bracts, followed by cylindrical fruits
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Under glass, grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full light, with shade from hot sun. Water freely while in growth and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser every month; keep just moist in winter. Repot every 1 or 2 years in spring. Outdoors grow in sheltered site in humus-rich soil and either bring pots indoors, or provide winter protection in the form of biodegradable horticultural fleece and hessian wraps. See banana cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by sowing pre-soaked seed in spring. Separate suckers in early spring, removing older leaves

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Sub-tropical
Architectural
City and courtyard gardens
Patio and container plants
Wall side borders
Conservatory and greenhouse
Bedding

Pruning

Remove damaged or dead leaves

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, mealybugs and aphids

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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