Musa itinerans, the Yunnan banana, is a species of banana found in continental Southeast Asia from Northeast India to Vietnam. The tender inner stalk is also harvested and eaten. It is the landmark 24,200th plant species saved at Kew Gardens' Millennium Seed Bank Project. With this addition, the seed bank had collected 10% of the world's wild plant species. In China it is an important food for wild Asian elephants.
How to keep Musa Itinerans.
Water
The Yunnan banana is a tropical plant that needs 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) of water each week. It's important to keep the soil slightly moist but not too wet to avoid root rot. During the winter, you should reduce the amount of water, ensuring the soil doesn't completely dry out.
Pruning
Yunnan bananas require minimal pruning. Primarily, you should remove excess suckers from the base, keeping only the largest one and 1-2 additional suckers that are 3-6 inches tall. Promptly remove any dead or diseased leaves. For fruiting varieties, cut the main stem down to ground level after flowering and fruiting to encourage new growth.
