golden banana

This was given to me as a pup over two years ago. I grew it in a pot and neglected it somewhat, occasionally feeding it with bonemeal. I'm surprised how it has survived, given that many other musas which are supposedly easy to grow have died in my care including Musa velutina, Musa uranoscopus, Musa Thai Red and the Musa white variegated. The only musas I have left today are Musa ornata, Musa, laterita and Musa Sumatrana (Blood Banana).

The Musa siamenisis or Thai Gold Banana a newly discovered species from Southern Thailand. It is considered rare in cultivation. It is closely related to the more common Musa laterita and grows to similar heights. This species grows to about 6 to 8 feet tall and is best grown in medium to full sun, though mine has appeared to flower under a canopy of tall trees. It enjoys rich soil and regular applications of organic fertiliser. I tend to feed it with a handful of Australian bonemeal. The rhizomes form quickly, and when planted in a pot, tends to fill up almost the whole pot. Like the Musa laterita, it has runners and will pup some distance from the mother plant. For this reason, this species is best grown in a container or a confined space.