We all know bananas, of course, for their tropical fruits. In the wild, there are around 50 naturally occurring species of Musa (the botanical name for the banana). However, there are only around three species that are worth growing in British gardens, and two of these are quite difficult to look after.

The one species that really does offer the best in exotic summer leaf shape, and which is the most reliable in our northern climate, is Musa basjoo (known variously as the hardy banana, or Japanese banana). It has the ability to withstand several degrees of frost, but if you are intending to keep plants in the soil over winter it is a good idea to mulch the roots and wrap the stems in hessian sacking in November. Potted plants may be brought under cover for winter.

This banana can grow to the size of a small tree, which is why it is so surprising to watch the foliage die back when the first frosts arrive in autumn. However, this is nothing to worry about—the plant is essentially an enormous herbaceous perennial, and it should die back each year. In spring, of course, it will quickly produce new growth again.

Musa basjoo, which holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM), is not difficult to grow. Pot your roots up as soon as you receive them, water them and keep them in a light, frost-free place. In April, give them a general liquid feed; feed the plants every month, until September. In May, plant out or pot up your young Musa plants, into their final positions—ideally in a sheltered site away from the wind (strong winds can cause the leaves to tear, and become tatty).

Musa basjoo is perfect for a sub-tropical border, growing alongside such plants as hardy scheffleras, hedychiums and persicarias. It may also be grown in a pot, either as a houseplant or on the patio (however, it won’t reach the same height as if grown in the ground). Your plants may sometimes produce banana fruits, particularly after a long, hot summer—but they are not edible.