How to Care for a Zebra Banana Tree

Plant the zebra banana in a spot with good year-round drainage that gets full to part sun. Filtered sun during the heat of the day is ideal to keep this ornamental banana looking lush and healthy.

Add a 2-inch layer of compost or manure in a 3-foot diameter circle over the planting area. Mix the organic material into the top 12 inches of the soil before planting.

Dig a hole in the center of the prepared soil using a garden shovel. Make the hole the same depth, and 6-inches wider, than the root ball.

Pull the plant out of the nursery pot or unwrap the roots if it was shipped bare root. Lifting the zebra banana by the root ball, set it upright in the center of the hole with the base of the stalk level with the natural soil line.

Back fill the hole and smooth out the area. Pat it down firmly with your feet or the flat of your hands, then soak the area around the new zebra banana until it is damp as deep as the planting hole.

Water zebra bananas when the top of the soil starts to feel dry. These plants require lots of water to maintain their fleshy leaves. The zebra banana requires at least 1 inch of water per week.

Fertilize every four to six weeks between spring and late summer using a 3-1-6 or a 9-3-27 fertilizer. Add fertilizer according to the instructions on the package label.

Cut off dead or browning foliage throughout the year. Use a sharp knife to slice the leaves from the trunk. Shred the leaves and place them around the base of the zebra banana as a mulch layer.

Leave the dead plant material on the ground through the winter to insulate the roots, if necessary (zebra bananas die back to the ground with the first hard frosts in the colder regions of the planting zones). Remove this material in the spring, being careful not to damage new growth. If you can't stand the way it looks all winter, cut back the dead foliage and cover the area over the roots with a 6-inch layer of mulch. Pull the mulch layer back in spring to allow the new growth to emerge. Alternatively, the Missouri Botanical Garden website recommends digging up the banana plant, wrapping the roots in plastic and storing it in a basement for winter when possible in cold areas.