The hardy banana (Musa basjoo) is a different species than the tropical bananas we're used to (Musa x paradisiaca). It still needs some extra care in our climate; hardy bananas have survived ...

Anyone who spends enough time gardening eventually gets sucked into what we call "shock gardening," that time-honored practice of growing something that just shouldn’t be there – or at least gives ...

LITTLE ROCK — The tropical look is in, and gardeners have become well versed in using elephant ears, bananas and other large-leafed tropicals to create the look. But, after a time, dealing with ...

Even though it is a tropical, gardeners in much of the United States will be able to grow this banana in the landscape. Because of its size, everyone will be able to grow it in a container. The ...

Early in the fall, Linda, who gardens with her husband Glenn in Langford, sent me an email with several photos: “I wanted to show you our banana plant that has produced bananas. We planted it in the ...

DEAR JESSICA: I have a Japanese hardy banana plant. I got it in spring 2012 as a single- stalk plant that was 3 feet tall. I planted it in a large pot, and it took off, along with numerous babies. It ...

It seems gardeners are going nuts over bananas, and I can see why. I recently visited a turn-of-the-century home in a downtown metropolitan area. Entering the backyard, I thought I was in a tropical ...

For anyone that knows me well they will understand my attraction to tropical foliage. After all, I am a southern California boy. (Foliage in general is something worthy of being attracted to since it ...

Hardy banana (Musa basjoo) gives a tropical look to a garden, but did you know that its flower, filled with delicious, sweet nectar, is a favorite of bees and can be added to salad? The young leaves ...