# Need help with a plant identity



## LowCountryCharleston (Jun 21, 2018)

Can someone tell me what type of plant this is and the best way to keep it healthy and how to prune it

Thanks!


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

I'm gonna take a stab and say Japanese Banana (leaves are NOT round or "globe" enough to be an elephant ear plant):

_Musa basjoo_
*Japanese banana*
Herbaceous perennial

Along with cannas and elephant ears, no other plant says "tropical" more than bananas. They are fast-growing, with the most vigorous varieties putting on anywhere from 6 to 10 feet or more growth in a single season. Depending on variety, their huge leaves come in many interesting colors and variegated patterns. Though they are thought of as trees, they don't produce woody growth. Their leaf sheaths form a trunk-like structure called a pseudostem which arises from an underground rhizome. Bananas can be grown in the ground, or in large pots and are easy to overwinter. If their stems are not cut back, new growth will resume at the point where growth stopped the previous year, and the resulting plant will achieve massive stature.

Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Provide abundant moisture and fertilizer for most vigorous growth.
Height: Dwarf varieties not withstanding, most cultivars grow 6 to 14 feet or more.
(*Source*: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/tropicals-for-gardens-and-containers.aspx)

Pretty carefree and here is some info on what is perhaps the most critical thing to watch, in Zones which freezing occurs: https://www.brighterblooms.com/planting-directions/basjoo-banana-care/
Excerpt: "_Winter care is important. After your Basjoo Banana tree has been hit by the first frost, cut the hardy banana to the ground. Don't let it rot back because it can continue rotting down into the roots which will kill the plants. Cover with a good 6 to 8 inches of mulch and then cover the mulch with a sheet of plastic. You must keep the mulch dry or the banana plant roots will become wet and rot. In the early spring, before growth starts, remove the plastic, remove most of the mulch and let the plant come back when the ground warms up_."


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## LowCountryCharleston (Jun 21, 2018)

440mag said:


> I'm gonna take a stab and say Japanese Banana (leaves are NOT round or "globe" enough to be an elephant ear plant):
> 
> _Musa basjoo_
> *Japanese banana*
> ...


Sweet Thanks! We're located in Charleston, SC and we normally get first frost 12/1 and beyond. 
Yeah the leaves are more elongated egg shapes. I really like it and want to make sure I give it what it needs to thrive. 
Thanks again for the help


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

It's a beauty and glad (assuming) y'all made it through Florence okay!


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## LowCountryCharleston (Jun 21, 2018)

440mag said:


> It's a beauty and glad (assuming) y'all made it through Florence okay!


Yeah I really enjoy that plant. We definitely dodged a bullet with that storm and came out unscathed. 
Thanks for asking!


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