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When, how, and why to trim a banana tree
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Banana trees grown in warm climates bear loads of delicious fruit, and even banana trees grown in colder climates make for great decor, even though they don’t fruit. In either case, smart pruning ensures lush, healthy plants all year round. We’ll let you know when to prune, how to prune, and why you should, so that you can keep your banana plants looking perfect.
Pruning a Banana Plant
- Use a sharp, clean blade to cut any brown dead leaves. Use an upward motion to slice them off 0.5–1 in (1.3–2.5 cm) from the main stem.
- Cut away the entire above-ground portion of any dead trees, such as those that have spent their fruit or died from frost.
- Cut away any suckers at ground level, but keep the largest sucker alive. This will be next year’s plant, after the current plant spends itself.
Steps
Section 2 of 4:
How and Where to Cut
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Use clean, sharp tools when pruning bananas. When pruning, use sharp, clean tools. Garden shears or machetes work best. A clean cut is healthiest for the plant. [6] X Research source Plant specialist Ryan Glynn recommends cleaning your tools with isopropyl alcohol.
- Using sharp, clean tools is also much safer, since they’ll cut easier, and banana stalks can be tough.
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Trim away any brown dead leaves at the base of the leaf stalk. Cut away any dead leaves at the base of the leaf stalk, about 0.5–1 in (1.3–2.5 cm) from the main stem. [7] X Trustworthy Source Royal Horticultural Society Leading gardening charity in the U.K. providing resources for identifying, growing and caring for flowers and other plants Go to source Make an upward cut that slopes down and away from the main stalk. Leave the base of each leaf stalk, where it joins the main stem near the ground. This helps keep the stalk strong and supported.
- Don’t cover the cuts with any sort of ointment or treatment, which may only damage the plant. A clean cut is healthy enough.
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Keep at least 4 healthy leaf stalks at a time. Generally, pruning off healthy stalks isn’t necessary. Some growers prefer to do it, though, and say it leads to taller, sturdier plants that bear larger fruit. If you like, trim away healthy stalks until only about 4 central stalks remain. Start at the outside, and prune toward the center, and make the cut just like you’re cutting away the dead leaves. [8] X Research source
- Avoid pruning away more than â…“ of the plant’s matter at a time. Any more, and your plant could go into shock.
- Prune healthy stalks in the spring, while the plant has new growth. If you need to, space prunings a couple weeks apart to prevent shock.
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Cut all but 1 of the suckers that sprout at ground level. Suckers grow off the main underground rhizome and produce new plants. It’s best to keep these in check to prevent overcrowding. Cut them as close to the ground as you can, then use a sharp trowel to dig up as much of the underground portion as you can. [9] X Research source
- Leave the largest, healthiest sucker alive. This will be the new plant during the next growing season, once the current plant has fruited and died off.
- Suckers, dead leaves, and even the dead tree itself, can be cut up and used as mulch for other plants, including other banana trees.
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Cut back the entire plant when it dies, especially from cold or frost. Banana trees die after fruiting, and they also tend to die after a big frost or other cold weather. After a frost, give the plant 1 week, then inspect the damage. If the entire plant is browning or dead, cut away the entire above-ground stalk, then decide how you want to overwinter it. [10] X Research source More minor frost damage, often displayed as brown spotting, can be left alone.
- For overwintering, many growers simply cover the cut stalk with mulch or a plastic pot to keep it insulated in cool temperatures. It often sends up new shoots in spring.
- Other growers prefer to dig up the underground rhizome entirely, then pot it and bring it indoors .
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionShould you trim the leaves on a banana plant in winter?Grant Wallace is a Landscaper and Owner of Grantlanta Lawn in Atlanta, Georgia. With over seven years of experience, he specializes in lawn maintenance and landscape installation. In 2012, he earned his BA from the University of West Georgia. Grant has been profiled in Shoutout Atlanta, Canvas Rebel, and Voyage ATL.You can, but you don't have to. Banana trees go dormant in winter; at that time, their leaves get droopy and crispy. In the spring, the banana tree will push out new growth. Some homeowners prefer to cut off the crispy parts to give their tree a cleaner look, but it's subjective.
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QuestionCut back plants last fall and covered with mulch and tarp. End of March in Virginia and plant popped through tarp. How should I proceed?Ethan SmithCommunity AnswerLeave the tarp because it has a hole already, or just pull it off. You could cut or pull the plant but it seems like you wanted this because of the mulch and covering it. Covering it with a tarp and leaving mulch in a humid area like the coast would definitely make the spot under the tarp a wonderful place to grow in the winter.
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QuestionA few of my banana trees have bent in half and basically fallen. The trunk is soggy feeling in that bent area. Do I cut it just below the soggy area and wait for new chutes to grow or dig up the tree?AsukiwaCommunity AnswerJust remove the old trunks and dispose them somewhere over the soil so they can rot and fertilize the area. Then you can wait for new trunks to grow.
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Tips
- Sap from banana trees might stain your clothes, so it’s best to wear old clothes.Thanks
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Warnings
- Garden tools like shears and knives are very sharp. Keep them out of the reach of children and pets.Thanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about pruning banana trees, check out our in-depth interview with Grant Wallace .
References
- ↑ https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/fact-sheets/banana/
- ↑ https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B992&title=minor-fruits-and-nuts-in-georgia#title1
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG040
- ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/banana/growing-guide
- ↑ http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/t0308e/T0308E05.htm
- ↑ https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/fact-sheets/banana/
- ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/banana/growing-guide
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgi266ebHlA&t=442s
- ↑ https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/fact-sheets/banana/
- ↑ https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/fact-sheets/banana/
- ↑ https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/fact-sheets/banana/
- ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/banana/growing-guide
- ↑ https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/fact-sheets/banana/
- ↑ https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=622378
- ↑ https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B992&title=minor-fruits-and-nuts-in-georgia#title1
- ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/banana/growing-guide
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG040
About This Article
Article Summary
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Having a healthy banana tree means knowing when and how to prune the leaves. Check your banana tree frequently for signs of dehydration and frost or insect damage, which can happen any time of year. When you see brown, dry, wilted leaves, use a pair of garden shears to cut the outermost layer of leaves and work your way in toward the stem. When you get to the stem, use a sharp blade or knife to cut the stalk to about 1 inch from the trunk. Make sure you have harvested any fruit and your plant has already flowered before pruning the stem. To learn how to treat holes in your banana tree’s leaves, keep reading!
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