Indoor banana plant guide

Banana plants make bold houseplants with huge, paddle-shaped leaves, though they seldom fruit indoors. Choose a dwarf variety and give it the sunniest window you have plus a grow light in winter. Keep the room between 65 and 85°F, away from cold drafts. Plant it in a rich, well-drained mix in a pot with drainage holes, and keep the soil moist but never soggy. Feed it during the growing season, since bananas are heavy feeders. Raise the humidity with a humidifier, and move up a pot size as it grows.

Houseplant or patio plant? In cold climates, you can do both. NC State Extension notes: “In colder climates, you can grow the plant in containers to be brought indoors or as a houseplant.” Summer outdoors gives the plant a growth boost, then bring it in before nights drop below 50°F. Don’t count on fruit. NC State adds that “Younger plants often will not flower and fruit until the 2nd or 3rd year.” See also how banana trees grow, cutting dead leaves off banana trees, and the best grow lights.

An indoor banana plant brings big, tropical leaves into your home. They seldom fruit indoors, but they make striking houseplants.

Indoor banana plant basics

Banana plants are not hard to grow indoors if you give them plenty of light, water, and food. With those, you’ll have lush tropical leaves within a few months. A grow light and a water-soluble fertilizer are the two best investments.

Banana plants need lots of light indoors. Place the pot in your sunniest window, south- or west-facing, where it gets six hours or more of sun. Turn the pot every week or two so all sides get light.

If your windows don’t get that much sun, add an LED grow light placed about 12 inches above the leaves. In most homes, a grow light makes the difference between a thriving banana and a leggy one, above all in winter.

Bananas like warm rooms between 65°F (18°C) and 85°F (29°C). Keep them away from cold drafts and air conditioning vents, which can damage the leaves and slow growth.

Planting your banana plant in a container

Use a rich potting mix with plenty of compost and some perlite for drainage.

Choose a container large enough for your plant. Dwarf varieties need at least an 8-inch pot with drainage holes, and they will want a bigger pot as they grow. You can cover a large drainage hole with a coffee filter to keep the mix from washing out.

Take the banana plant out of its nursery pot and look at the roots. Tease any thick, circling roots away from the root ball so they grow out into the new mix.

Set the plant in the new pot, adding mix underneath so the base sits at the same level as before. Leave about an inch of space below the rim (2 inches for larger pots) to make watering easier.

Watering houseplant bananas

Bananas are thirsty plants, but they hate soggy roots. NC State Extension advises: “Do not allow the soil to dry out and fertilize regularly.” Check by pushing a finger into the soil to the first knuckle. If it feels dry, water. A pot that feels light also needs water.

Water until it drains from the holes in the bottom of the pot, then empty the saucer. In winter, when growth slows, water a bit less often, but don’t let the soil dry out.

Bananas come from humid climates and do best with humidity around 50 to 70 percent. A humidifier is the most reliable way to raise humidity indoors. Misting the leaves often can lead to leaf spots, so skip it.

Light requirements for indoor-grown bananas

Light is the most important factor for indoor bananas. Most varieties want six hours or more of bright light a day. If your home is dim, add LED grow lights placed close to the plant.

Pick a spot with as much direct sun as you can give it. Keep it away from heaters and drafty doors, which dry the soil and the leaf edges. If the leaves scorch after a move to a sunnier window, shift the plant back a little and let it adjust.

Indoor banana plant FAQ