Is it true that you can completely cut off a banana plant before winter down to 6 inches, protect it well, and it will grow back out the following May like a weed?

Even if it means restarting every year, I'd like to give it a try. There is a 10 foot banana plant near where I live in ireland zone 8b that turns brown every winter and is cut down, only before reappearing as  10 foot plant again by july/august.

forgot to mention that I think it is a musa basjoo

Yes as far as I know, that’s common practice in colder climates to protect the plant over winter. It is important that the cut doesn’t freeze. Next summer the leaves start growing again around the same size as previous year, that’s why it starts growing so fast again. Please correct me if I’m wrong

Wow,  that sounds great. I'll give it a try.

I've seen a few methods used.

1. Cut at 25 to 30 cm and cover with mulch for winter.

2. Wrap the trunks for the winter.

3. Dig up and leave in a cool (< 10°C) garage for the winter.

My summers average >= 30°C for highs from June though Sept. My zone minimum is -10°C.

Yes you can cut off a banana plant, protect the cut off trunk and roots with a mulch cover (enough to keep it from freezing) and it will sprout again next spring either from the old cut off trunk or from a new offset from the old trunk or both.  Removing  most of the mulch in spring after danger of frost has passed will help the ground warm and start sprouting earlier.  With heavy fertilizer, adequate moisture, and as much sun as you can give it, it will grow large over summer.

Not certain what variety:

I would wait and see if it actually freezes. But, that said, the very light freezes we get here don;t even really affect the bananas that much. The leaves may freeze, but I don;t cut the trunks, just leave them tall. They leaf back out in Spring

On 6/1/2024 at 7:33 PM, metalfan said:

I would wait and see if it actually freezes. But, that said, the very light freezes we get here don;t even really affect the bananas that much. The leaves may freeze, but I don;t cut the trunks, just leave them tall. They leaf back out in Spring

We get freezes every year in ireland. Over the past 20 years, the coldest winter has been -13 celsius (8.5f) with the warmest winter being -3 celsius (26.5f), and an average minima of just under -6 celsius (20f)