20 Red Tiger Darjeeling Banana Plant Tree Seeds (Musa sikkimensis) Hardy-Zone 5

The Tree is Robust and about 12′ Foot Tall Max, with Yellowish-Green Foliage and Reddish Tinged Thick Trunk. The Sheath is Smudged with Blackish-Brown and is Without Wax when Mature. The Gorgeous Leaves are a Discolored Burgundy on the Underside and on the Top Remains Deep Green with a Tiger Print. The Leaves are Stronger than those of Other Species and Better Resistant to the Wind. It can be Container Grown and a great element to patios and porches.

The Fruit, while Edible, is Not Very Flavorful like the Dwarf Banana Seeds we Offer, and Darjeeling Banana is Generally Grown Instead for it’s Unique Foliage, which Exhibits a Striking Cinnamon Red Color on the Leaf Undersides, with Leaf Tops that Display Eye Catching Red Striped Patterns.

Much Like (Musa acuminata) the Darjeeling Banana Tree is More Cold Hardy than the Hybrid Bananas that Produce the Fruit sold in Stores. It is Considered Hardy to Zone 5, where it can Survive Outdoors even through Occasional Snowfalls. More often, though, it is Grown as an Indoor Plant that Either Remains Indoor Year Round or is Moved Indoors from the Patio when the Weather Starts Turning Colder.

In Zones where it is Hardy, this Banana can be Planted at Any Time. This Fast Growing Tree may put on as Much as 9 Feet in it’s First Growing Season and can Reach 12′ Foot in Height by the Time it Flowers and Produces Fruit after 2-3 Years.

In Colder Climates, the Banana Tree will Die Back to the Ground, and then Re Sprout in the Spring. In Warmer Climates the Tree will Remain Alive through the Winter, but will be in a Dormant Mode meaning Watering & Feeding should be Reduced. But Remember Banana Trees Die Away Once they have Fruited. A Process that Can Take up to 3 Years. The Tree will Sprout with New Growth from the Base each Spring, Producing more Banana Tree from offshoots of the Original Tree. In Colder Climates to Successfully OVERWINTER them, Cover the Area with a Layer of Thick Mulch. Remove as Soon as Spring begins for New Growth to Begin.

Musa Germination:

Sow indoors at any time of year. 

Sow seeds as soon as you are able. If you are not going to sow them, store them in their packaging in a cool, dark, dry place. (Do not refrigerate)
1) Pour distilled boiling water over seeds and allow them to soak for 3 – 4 days in the warm water. Let the seeds cool with the water. Change the water & Repeat this process each day. This process is Very important, as gets rid of germination inhibitors by softening the rock hard shells of the Musa seeds.
2) Fill either large cells or trays with perlite, vermiculite & sterilized compost. Stand the trays in water until the medium is completely moist.
3) Sow the seeds an inch deep. Spray the seeds with a little copper based fungicide.
4) Use a heated propagator under the trays. Bottom heat is needed for optimal results with any Musa seed, so use a propagator if you have one or in a warm location out of direct sunlight for best results. Do not exclude light as this helps germination. Keep at a constant temperature of 68 to 77°F. Keep at 77+ during the day, while letting the temperature drop to 68-70 at night as this will daily change in temperature will increase germination rates and speed.

5) Check the seeds daily for germination. If mold or fungus starts to appear, remove the seeds and wash them in warm water. Spray them with fungicide and re-sow in a fresh medium in a sterilized pot. Keep the surface of the compost moist but not waterlogged. As with any Tropical or Exotic seed, patience is needed as germination is always erratic. Some may sprout within 2 to 3 Weeks, while most others can take from a few all the way up to Twelve Months. Do not give up too soon!