Musa velutina, the hairy banana or pink banana, is a diploid species of wild banana. These plants are originally from Assam and the eastern Himalayas.
The fruits are 3 in long, pink, and fuzzy. They are borne on erect flower stalks with a pink inflorescence. Musa velutina flowers at a young age, doing so within a year. The fruits peel back when ripe.
It is often grown as an ornamental plant, but has soft, sweet flesh that can be eaten. The seeds are quite tough and can chip a tooth. To sow, first soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours. They should be planted in fine compost and kept at a constant temperature of 20°-24 °C (68 to 75.2F) with full natural light. They take 1-6 months to germinate.
Plants may be placed outside during warmer months but should be taken into a conservatory or greenhouse or given other protection in winter. Musa velutina has received the Royal Horticultural Societys Award of Garden Merit.
Before sowing your seeds soak for 24 hours in warm water. Then using a seed tray or large modular tray, fill with a good quality seed compost such as John Innes ‘Seed and Potting’. Using a dibber sow the seed ¼in deep, then backfill the hole with a little more compost. Water thoroughly, but allow the excess water to drain away before placing the tray in a heated propagator or sealing inside a clear polythene bag and placing in a warm bright area. If using a heated propagator set the temperature of around 28 degrees Celsius. Be aware that the germination can be slow and erratic taking between 1-6 months to germinate.
Keep the compost moist but not waterlogged and once germinated improve ventilation as fungal infections can take hold on both the foliage and the root system.
Once the root system has established the seedlings can be potted on into 9cm pots and allowed to grow on in a warm, frost free position. Water well during the growing season and feed with a liquid soluble fertiliser every couple of weeks.
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