Ethiopian black banana, Abyssinian banana
E. ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ is a striking red leafed ornamental banana which is mainly a greenhouse or conservatory foliage plant or a plant used in summer bedding. Unlike its cousin, Musa basjoo, it is not frost hardy and not capable of producing bananas in our climate.
We have grown good crops of this attractive plant but our local nursery plant thief also took a liking to them and pinched most of the best plants. In consequence supplies are limited.
This is a very fast growing banana-like perennial with huge paddle-shaped bright olive-green leaves borne from the centre of the stem. The midribs of these leaves are bright red and ‘Maurelii’ has red tinged leaves especially along the margins.
A plant for a large container which could come out onto a sheltered but sunny patio for the summer months before going inside to a frost free greenhouse in the autumn. Temperatures of 0°C will damage the leaves and temperatures below this will kill this plant. However there are plants growing well outside in Trebah gardens in Cornwall in extreme shelter at the top of the garden and well above the frost line.
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