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Key characteristics

Family: Musaceae
Height: Up to 20 feet
Width: Up to 10 feet
Flower color: Rarely flowers in cultivation; when it does, it produces creamy white to yellowish flowers
Foliage color: Large, glossy leaves with deep burgundy-red and green hues
Bloom time: Infrequent
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low to moderate; requires protection from strong winds to prevent leaf damage
Growing zone: USDA zones 9 to 11
Wildlife: Not specifically known to attract wildlife

Perennials

Ensete ventricosum 'Maureli'

Red Abyssinian Banana

Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' is a tropical plant native to East Africa, particularly Ethiopia. This cultivar is known for its ornamental appeal, featuring large, paddle-shaped leaves that exhibit a rich blend of deep burgundy and green hues. The vibrant foliage adds a dramatic touch to gardens and landscapes, creating a lush, tropical ambiance.

While Ensete ventricosum can produce flowers, 'Maurelii' rarely blooms outside its native habitat.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Infrequent

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Cottage Gardens
Cut Flower Gardens

Companion plants

Ferns · Astilbes · Foxgloves · Bergenias · Sedums · Columbines

Design tip

Use it as a steady framework plant, repeating it along a bed to tie separate plantings together. It takes sun or light shade, which makes it useful along the changing light of a bed edge or a partly shaded border.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)