Ensete ventricosum is eastern Africa from South Africa to Ethiopia. Plants inhabit open spaces and are an important crop in many parts of the range, where domesticated forms exist. Ethiopia produces millions of tonnes of the plant each year and it’s an important crop for the country. It was a disease that wiped out the crops of this species within Ethiopia back in 1984-85 and which became a major contributing factor to the subsequent famine and the inconsiderate and self-congratulatory (nothing to do with Christmas) song by a host of pop singers. Plants measure up to six metres tall and a plant from Tanzania was reported to attain a height of 13 metres.
 
These plants are growing in pots. Grow Ensete ventricosum in a pot or in the ground if growing outside, and use a media consisting of, fine and medium bark, perlite, and a non-peat-based soil. When humidity is above 60% make sure the plant gets sufficient air movement and air space around the plant when gown indoors or in a greenhouse. Plants need to be wet and should certainly never dry, although this species is more tolerant of drying out than other banana species. This species is adaptable to a cool to warm greenhouse with night low temperatures of 10-25 degrees and daytime temperatures of 15-38 degrees. Plants will grow indoors if consistently watered, given good light, and a very large pot. Plants grow easily in the UK outside, but frosts and sustained cold temperatures are likely to kill the plant. Shelter plants indoors or in a cool greenhouse over the winter if growing this as a hardy tropical plant for your garden.
 
Family – Musaceae
Plant Passport - A Ensete ventricosum B 140084 c 10559 d GB