Can Bananas Grow if the Bottom Is Shaded?

Tropical Warmth

• The banana tree is native to Southeast Asia and grows in Africa and South America as a cultivated tree, probably taken to those regions by early explorers and settlers. The tree thrives in warmth and grows best when temperatures are 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Some varieties, such as the hybrid platano banana tree (Musa x paradisiaca) and the common banana (Musa acuminata), can survive brief periods of subfreezing temperatures. The platano banana tree is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 8 through 11, and the common banana tree is hardy in USDA zones 10 through 11. Both varieties need a warm environment and may die to the ground during long spells of cold weather. They are slow to flower, requiring 10 to 15 months of frost-free conditions to produce flower stalks, which are followed by fruits.

Plenty of Sunlight

• The best site for a banana tree receives full sunlight for the entire day. In an area where summer is extremely hot, it can tolerate a few hours of partial shade during afternoon. The tree has underground stems called rhizomes, which produce shoots as the tree grows. Shoots grow best when the temperature is 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. So it's helpful to keep the tree's root zone mostly unshaded and warm, especially during cool months. Planting the tree near a warm, south- or west-facing building wall, or at the top of a hillside, where cool air drains to lower part of the slope, can help keep its roots warm even if they're shaded part of the day.

Extra Warmth

• A few strategies can help a banana tree grow well even when its roots are in shade part of the day. A layer of black or other dark-colored landscape fabric over the tree's root zone helps absorb heat during hours when sunlight is bright, but avoid using a plastic mulch that prevents water from reaching the soil and roots below it. A layer of gravel or pea stone also can be added as mulch to help absorb heat on warm days. Landscape fabric and stone mulch also help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds, which compete for soil nutrition.

Drainage Key

• A banana tree is quite tolerant of most kinds of garden soil, even rocky types with moderate fertility, but the tree does best in organically rich soil. Therefore, adding compost at planting time is helpful in increasing soil's organic content and fertility. A banana tree needs excellent drainage at all times and won't thrive in wet, mucky soil. If your soil drains poorly, mix coarse sand into the site before planting the tree. In an area subject to frequent, heavy rains and flooded soil, plant the tree on a hillside or in a mounded area.