Will My Dwarf Banana Tree Produce Fruit in Ohio?

Time Bananas Require for Fruiting

• You must have 10 to 15 warm, frost-free months for your banana plant to produce fruit. In areas with cooler climates, the time it takes before the plant produces fruit could be up to two years. This is because banana plants slow their growth when temperatures fall outside of their optimum growing range. Once you spot the fruit stem on the plant, the plant needs another three to four months of frost-free weather for the fruit to mature to its full, rounded size, not when they turn yellow.

Climate Bananas Require for Fruiting

• The best climate for growing bananas to produce fruit quickly is a warm, wet climate. The best temperature range for banana growth is between 53 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, according to California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc. Outside this range, the plant's growth will slow or stop completely. Any type of freeze, which are common in Ohio winters, will kill an unprotected banana plant to the ground, which is why winter protection is so crucial for your plant.

Ohio Climate

• The state of Ohio includes USDA zones 5 through 6. There typically are only between 160 and 180 days above freezing during the year. Summer temperatures generally are from the 60s in the mornings to the lower to mid-80s in the afternoons. During the heat of the Ohio summers, the temperatures are ideal in the afternoons for fast banana plant growth, but the springs, falls and winters, when the temperatures drop down, are when the banana plant will slow its growth.

Winter Protection

• For your dwarf banana plant to grow long enough to produce fruit, it must be protected from winter weather. For container-grown dwarf bananas, bring the plant indoors before the first frost and place it outside after May 20. While the plant is indoors, reduce watering and fertilization, but keep the plant in a sunny spot. The best way to ensure that your dwarf banana does produce fruit after several years is to grow it in a container so you can keep the plant intact over the winter, because if you grow it outdoors and have to dig up the rhizome each winter, your banana plant must restart its growth from the ground up every spring. Properly protected during the colder months, you may see bananas on your dwarf banana plant in a few years.