Fast-growing with impressive leaves up to two meters high
The fast-growing snow banana is not yet as well-known as many other species. It develops a strong, waxy, blue-green pseudostem. Its long leaves can reach 2–2.5 meters, and the trunk up to 3–3.5 meters. It grows so quickly that it can easily reach a meter in height after just four months. This is the hardiest Ensete species. In English-speaking countries, it is called the snow banana. Initially, it was thought to be as hardy as Musa basjoo. The seeds are said to originate from Yunnan, where it grows at altitudes up to 2,700 meters. It resembles Ensete ventricosum, has a thick, bluish trunk with a slightly white outer layer, but remains somewhat smaller and has impressively large leaves. Its distribution area extends across Yunnan, Tibet, Northeast India, Thailand, and into New Guinea; its winter hardiness can vary considerably. Therefore, it is crucial to know the origin of the seeds for successful cultivation. Seeds from the Yunnan region (high mountain altitudes) are strongly recommended! It does not produce edible fruit, and fruiting is unlikely in our climate. Ensete species do not usually produce offsets. Only in rare cases do they appear spontaneously – if the growing point is damaged. If the pseudostem freezes back to the ground, the entire plant is usually lost. Otherwise, Musa species are preferable to Ensete species, as Musa species are much more resilient and produce new offsets after frost damage.
Natural habitat: Ensete glaucum is native to Nepal, China, and Indonesia. There, it grows at altitudes of 800–2000 meters.
