Musa acuminata is a species of banana native to Southeast Asia (Malesia and most of mainland Indochina). Modern cultivars of edible bananas are either from this species or from Musa balbisiana or by the hybrids between them. Musa acuminata belongs to the family Musaceae.  Genus name honors Antonia Musa, Roman physician of the 1st century B.C..Specific epithet means tapering into a long narrow point. The name ‘banana’ is African and was carried to the New World by Portuguese slave traders. It comes from the Arabic word ‘banan’ meaning finger.

Musa acuminata is an evergreen gigantic herb. The Wild Banana plant has an underground stem (rhizome), to form a false trunk 3–6 meters high. This trunk (pseudostem) is composed of the basal portions of leaf sheaths. It is crowned with a rosette of 10 to 20 oblong or elliptic leaves. Leaves can reach to 3-4 meters high.

At summer, on mature Musa acuminata’s, a large flower spike, carrying numerous white to yellowish flowers, emerges at the top of the false trunk and bends downward. Flowers protected by large purple-red bracts. Inflorescence contains both male and female flowers. Female flowers are located near the base (and develop into fruit), and the male flowers located at the topmost top-shaped bud in between leathery bracts. The individual fruits, or bananas, are grouped in clusters of 10 to 20. All together become bunches of 50 to 150 individual fruits. Younger plants often will not flower and fruit, until the 2nd or 3rd year. Wild Banana contrast to modern hybrids, have seeds that each around 5 to 6 mm in diameter.

After a plant has fruited, it should be cut down to the ground, because each trunk produces only one bunch of fruit. The dead trunk is replaced by suckers from the same rhizome. The life of a single rhizome continues for many years, weaker suckers should be pruned, while the stronger ones are allowed to grow to take place of the mother plant.

Musa acuminata is best grown in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Plants tolerate and often appreciate some part shade or light filtered sun in the heat of the day. Planting areas should be chosen away from strong winds which can severely damage the large leaves. They must be fertilized regularly during growing season. The leaves of the plant are not frost resistant, but the rhizomes withstand –7°C.

There are many sub species of Musa acuminata subsp. acuminata. One popular of them is ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ (also known as Chinese banana and ladyfinger banana) is a dwarf cultivar that is commonly cultivated for both commercial fruit production and ornamental applications.

Wild Banana is one of the earliest plants to be domesticated by humans for agriculture. They were first cultivated in Southeast Asia and surrounding areas. After the discovery of America, bananas were taken from the Canary Islands to the New World, where they were first established in Hispaniola and soon spread to other islands and the mainland.

Use in Landscape: Musa acuminata is one of several banana species cultivated as an ornamental plant, for its striking shape and foliage. They are classic tropical foliage plants, if they fruit, produce attractive bunches of yellow bananas.

Whether grown outdoors in the landscape or indoors as a houseplant, bananas (even dwarf cultivars) need lots of space. Wild Banana is effectively grown as a garden centerpiece or for tropical flair near water bodies.