Common Name: Banana Shrub
Scientific Name: Michelia figo
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Magnoliaceae
Description The Banana Shrub’s evergreen leaves are simple and develop in an alternate pattern. The leaves’ shapes are narrowly oval or slightly obovate. They are 1½ to 4 inches long and have a width of ½ to 2 inches. In the younger stages the leaves are covered with brownish pubescence. At the mature stage, the leaves are lustrous and rich, dark green with an entire leaf margin. It has a ½ inch long, brown pubescent petiole. The Banana Shrub’s flowers are large and ovoid, ranging from ½ to 1 inch long when mature. They are 6 to 9 tepaled, cup-shaped flowers and are extremely fragrant. They are covered with greenish to silky brown hairs and diverge from a rusty brown peduncular stalk at approximately a 30 degree angle. In the vegetative stage, the flowers 1 are not as plump, /8 to ¼ inch long, and are covered with dark brown, rusty pubescence. The flowers bloom in April through June.
Growth Habit 1 1 At a very early stage, the stem of the banana shrub is /16 to /8 inch in diameter covered in short rusty brown pubescence. As the plant matures the stem gets much larger but keeps its gray- brown color. The plant is tends to be a slow grower with a rounded, open habit. It can grow to be 10 to 15 feet tall if it is left unpruned.
Hardiness Zone(s) Banana shrub can grow in zones 7 to 10, though Zone 8 is the best because of the warmer temperatures.
Culture Banana shrub can grow in open sunlight or light shade. When grown in open sunlight, the plant tends to grow in a shorter tighter form. For best growth, the plant prefers well-drained, fertile, sandy, and slightly acidic soil that has high organic matter content. The best pH levels for Banana Shrub are from 6.0 to 6.5. When planted, the soil level around the shrub should be slightly higher than the surrounding soil level. After planting, it should be watered regularly (every day, once to twice a day), but after it establishes a good root system and matures, it becomes quite resilient to drought conditions. The plant tolerates pruning very well and can be contained at a shorter height with a denser form. In spring, administer a broad spectrum of fertilizer before sign of new growth starts to show.
Diseases & Insects Banana Shrub is almost a pest-free plant. It is well adapted to the Southern Coastal region of the United States. One pest that is rarely seen on the leaves of Banana Shrub is “false oleander scale.” If scale does start to show, it is easily treatable with horticulture oil sprays. If the problem persists, continue to apply the oil spray.
Landscape Value Banana shrub is usually a highly sought after landscape plant because of its flowers and strong fragrance. It is often frustrating and hard to find in nearby nurseries for most people, so when looking around for banana shrub it is good to call several different nurseries before giving up on the search. It is commonly planted along walk ways, near entrances to buildings, or near windows so people can enjoy the fragrance and magnolia-shaped flowers. It can also be used in a mix of other shrubs as a surrounding or border plant.
References Dirr. M. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Stipes Publishing, Chamgaign, IL. Gardening Solutions. 2015. Banana Shrub. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Online.
This document was authored by Joseph Edwards, Department of Agricultural Sciences Louisiana Tech University, April 2015.