| Musa basjoo | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Musaceae |
| Genus: | Musa |
| Section: | Musasect. Musa |
| Species: | M. basjoo |
| Binomial name | |
| Musa basjoo Siebold & Zucc. ex Iinuma | |
Musa basjoo, known variously asJapanese banana,[2]Japanese fiber banana[3] orhardy banana, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the banana familyMusaceae. It was previously thought to have originated in theRyukyu Islands ofJapan, from where it was first described in cultivation,[4] but is now known to have originated in the subtropical southernChinese province ofSichuan.[3][5] Itsspecific name is derived from its Japanese common name,bashō (芭蕉).
Musa basjoo is aherbaceousperennial with trunklike pseudostems[a] growing to around 2–2.5 m (6.6–8.2 ft), with a crown of mid-green leaves growing up to 2 m (6.6 ft) long and 70 cm (28 in) wide when mature. The species produces male and female flowers on the same inflorescence which may extend for over 1 m (3.3 ft). The banana fruit formed are yellow-green, around 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long and 2–3 cm (0.79–1.18 in) broad; they are inedible, with sparse white pulp and many black seeds.[4][6]
Musa basjoo has been cultivated both for its fibers and as anornamental plant in gardens outside its natural range, first in Japan, and from the late 19th century, then in the warmer parts of western and centralEurope (north of theUnited Kingdom), theUnited States, and southernCanada. In gardens, it is used as a hardy tropical foliage plant. Although the pseudostem may only cope with a few degrees below freezing, the underground rhizome is considered frost hardy, if well insulated with thick mulch, in areas with winter temperatures down to −12 °C (10 °F) and potentially lower if properly mulched.[4][7] The roots are considered hardy to −10 °C (14 °F).[8] If the pseudostem is killed, the banana will resprout from the ground where it rapidly grows to full size in a season under optimal conditions. Thus, it can be grown as far north asUSDA zone 6a. It can also be overwintered under cover in a pot and kept growing, which is the only way it can be made to fruit in northern regions as it requires 12–24 months of warmth to bloom.[4]
In the UK, it has gained theRoyal Horticultural Society'sAward of Garden Merit.[9][10]
In Japan,Musa basjoo plant fibers are used to produce textiles known inJapanese askijōka-bashōfu (bashōfu (芭蕉布, "banana cloth)). Whole pseudostems are cut into strips up to 3 meters (9.8 ft) long. These are beaten, bleached and dried to produce the raw material, which can then be made into products such as carpets, tablecloths,kimono andbanana paper.[8]
In traditionalChinese medicine, the stem, flower, leaves and rhizome ofMusa basjoo are considered useful for clearing heat-toxins, quenching thirst and disinhibiting urine.[11]
The 17th-century Japanese poetMatsuo Bashō took his pen name from this plant.[12]
