Plant Lust
ShopOrderSellblog
0

  • Plant types

  • Plant styles

  • Planting conditions

  • Seasonal interest

  • Nurseries & Gardens

    • Photo of Musella lasiocarpa flower by Danger Garden

    Photo by Danger Garden

    Used with permission, all rights reserved

    Show all photos

    Musella lasiocarpa

    Also Known As

    • Ensete lasiocarpum
    • Chinese Yellow Banana
    • Golden Lotus Banana

    Plant type

    perennial

    size

    • H: 5'-6'
    • W: 3'-6'

    planting zones

    • 7a-11

    More Options

    Musella lasiocarpa plant details

    Musella lasiocarpa is a fast-growing broadleaf semi-evergreen perennial with blue and green foliage. In summer yellow flowers emerge followed by yellow fruit. Grows well with sun - dappled shade and even moisture - regular water. Does well in average, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant, humidity tolerant and verticillium wilt resistant.

    CHARACTERISTICS OF Musella lasiocarpa

    Plant type: perennial
    Plant family: musaceae
    Foliage: semi-evergreen blue and green
    Mature size: 3 FT - 6 FT - wide, 5 FT - 6 FT - tall
    Flowers: yellow blooms in summer
    Uses: big leaves, container plant, monocarpic, ornamental, tropical-looking

    GROWING CONDITIONS for Musella lasiocarpa

    USDA Zones: 7a - 11
    Sun exposure: sun - dappled shade
    Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
    Resistant to: deer and rabbit, heat, humidity and verticillium wilt
    Soil needs: average, rich and well-drained

    Nursery contributed plant descriptions

    A sacred flower in S. China, this upright, yellow, very distinctive flower produces a stalk of tiny 2" (inedible) ?bananas?; a delightful container plant (to 4') for indoors but it?s also hardier than most. S-PSh/M (not dry)

    By: Forestfarm

    Compact banana relative from 9000’ grows only 5-6’ tall – Lovely blue green leaves (that refuse to shred in the wind!) are 3-4’ long and held upright over the bulbous base – a sunny warm spot in moist soil with decent drainage is best – great in a pot! In the infrequent event that your Musella grows a huge 14" yellow flower...which is a process that can take the better part of a year, the plant dies, but pups formed around the base will provide many more years of enjoyment AND provide nice gifts for gardening friends! Hardy to at least USDA Z7 (perhaps 6 or even 5!)

    By: Secret Garden Growers

    Tiny, tiny, tiny! Clump grows only 1-2" tall, in a mid-green. Purple-violet flowers grow on 4-8" stalks. Very well suited for troughs and rock gardens in shade.

    By: Noname Nursery

    Musella lasiocarpa, or Golden Lotus Banana, is a dwarf, tropical looking, herbaceous perennial with large, paddle-shaped blue-green foliage. Grown for the unique yellow, artichoke-like, flowers. Be sure to choose a location with plenty of room, sun, moisture and protection from wind. Mulch heavily for winter protection.

    By: Little Prince of Oregon

    A sensational 3-4 feet tall dwarf banana that has a unusual bright yellow flower that continues to bloom for up to 9 months. Cold Hardy to zone 6!. Great showy tropical banana for any garden. The best of all flowering bananas.

    By: Florida Hill Nursery

    This banana relative is more shrub-like than its kin, with sprays of 3-6' tall stalks of gray-green foliage until frost. Once its feels established, a bright yellow flower the size of a softball will appear and remain all summer long, sometimes producing tiny little bananas. Flowering shoots die back to be replaced with new, vigorous stems. Best in sun to part sun with regular summer water. Frost hardy to 10 °F, USDA zone 8. Musaceae

    By: Cistus Nursery

    Musella Lasiocarpa is known for its striking golden flowers. This plant has been given the nickname the Lotus Banana. This plant is originally from the mountains of China, which is why it stays out all winter much like Musa Basjoo (with mulching).This plant grows to 5 feet tall, what it lacks in height it makes up for with its spectacular flowers. Foliage: Flowers: Golden Yellow Height: 5 feet

    By: Brian's Botanicals

    10" golden yellow flowers that resemble a lotus when first opening, sit atop nearly leafless thick sturdy stems and last for months on mature plants. When young the plants look just like dwarf bananas with long rounded medium-green tropical foliage. This is tough, hardy, and easily grown, tightly clump forming rhizomatous tropical. After flowering is finished the mature plant produces a multitude of pups and then dies making way for the young plants which should flower in their 2nd or 3rd year. Makes a beautiful container or garden specimen. Our 1 gallon plants are 30"+H. The Chinese Yellow Banana was at one time considered to be nearly extinct in its native habitat. This plant is extremely cold hardy despite its tropical origins and is considered to be hardy as far north as zone 5 and 6 by some if provided with a deep mulch.

    By: Almost Eden

    This stunning yellow chinese banana grows to 5 feet and speads by rhizome. It produces large yellow lotus like blossoms that look like giant yellow artichokes. It's foliage are paddle shaped and bluegreen in color. It's a must have in the tropical garden

    By: Tejas Tropicals

    Chinese Yellow Flowering Banana. Hardy into zone 7. this exotic but tough tropical is grown not only for it's bold blue-green banana foliage and fast growth rate but for it's showy golden yellow flowers. It does not however bear edible fruit. Grows to 6'. We recommend applying a thick mulch if you want to try overwintering this Banana outdoors in colder climates.

    By: Avant Gardens

    Native to the mountains of SE China, the Chinese Yellow banana grows to about 5' high and pups very freely. It has attractive grayish-green foliage and forms nice clumps. It is grown for its 6" wide waxy yellow flower that lasts for at least 6 months. Hardy to zone 7 with mulch. Our one gallon plants begin forming a clump the first year. Great also in containers.

    By: Rare Plant Research

    Gardening facts about Musella lasiocarpa plant

    How to Grow Musella lasiocarpa

    • Sun Exposure

      • sun - dappled shade

    • Water Needs

      • even moisture - regular

    • Soil Needs

      • average
      • well-drained
      • rich

    • Special Situation

      • heat tolerant
      • humidity tolerant
      • verticillium wilt resistant

    Features

    • Foliage Color

      • green
      • blue

    • Flower Color

      • yellow

    • Wildlife

      • deer resistant
      • rabbit resistant

    • Fruit

      • yellow

    • Flower Season

      • summer

    • Foliage Season

      • semi-evergreen

    Landscape groups by tags

    Mailing List
    Sign Up for updates on new plant arrivals and deals

    © 2010—2025 Plant Lust, LLC All Rights Reserved