Download Banana Shrub Scientific Name: Michelia figo Order: Magnoliales

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
are not as plump, 1/8 to ¼ inch long, and are covered with dark brown, rusty pubescence. The
flowers bloom in April through June.
Growth Habit
At a very early stage, the stem of the banana shrub is 1/16 to 1/8 inch in diameter covered in short
rusty brown pubescence. As the plant matures the stem gets much larger but keeps its graybrown 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.
<http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/giam/plants_and_grasses/shrubs_hedges/banana_shru
b.html> Accessed 17 April 2015.
LaBauve, R. and D. J. Gill. 2012. Banana shrub provides nice fragrance. Louisiana State
University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA. Online.
<http://www.lsuagcenter.com/news_archive/2012/march/get_it_growing/bananashrubprovide
nicefragrance.htm> Accessed 17 April 2015.
This document was authored by Joseph Edwards, Department of Agricultural Sciences
Louisiana Tech University, April 2015.