The tropical appearance of banana plants makes them a desirable feature in many gardens, but their survival in USDA Hardiness Zone 7 presents a significant challenge. This region experiences winter temperatures that typically fall between 0°F and 10°F, which is cold enough to kill the above-ground stem and, without intervention, the underground root structure. Successful cultivation in this climate requires mandatory winterization to protect the plant’s corm, the dense, underground stem that stores energy for the following season. The specific method used to ensure survival depends entirely on the variety of banana plant being grown.
Assessing Your Banana Tree Type
Correctly identifying your banana plant determines whether it can remain in the ground or must be moved indoors. Banana plants are generally categorized as either cold-hardy or tender varieties. Hardy types are cultivated primarily for their dramatic foliage and structural appearance, as they rarely produce edible fruit in Zone 7’s short growing season.
The Japanese Fiber Banana (Musa basjoo) is the most commonly grown cold-hardy variety, possessing a rhizome that can survive temperatures as low as -20°F with proper protection. Another hardy option is Musella lasiocarpa, the Golden Lotus Banana, which also overwinters well in the ground. In contrast, most fruit-producing types, such as ‘Cavendish’ (Musa acuminata) or the ‘Ice Cream’ banana (Musa sapientum ‘Blue Java’), are considered tender.
Tender varieties will not survive the winter cold in Zone 7, even with heavy mulching, and must be moved to a protected, frost-free location. These varieties are often grown in containers specifically to facilitate this annual move indoors. Even some ornamental varieties, like the Red Abyssinian Banana (Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’), are tender and require indoor storage.
Protecting In-Ground Plants
Once the first hard frost kills the leaves and the plant begins to go dormant, usually when temperatures fall below 40°F, the winterizing process must begin.
Cut the entire pseudostem—the structure that looks like a trunk—back to a height of about two to three feet. Cutting the stem at an angle, sloping away from the center, helps prevent moisture from collecting and causing the crown to rot during the wet winter months. Gardeners may choose to treat the cut surface with a fungicide, though this is optional, to protect the exposed tissue from fungal pathogens.
A protective structure is then built around the shortened pseudostem using a cylinder of chicken wire or hardware cloth secured with stakes. This cage should be wide enough to allow for at least six inches of insulating material around the remaining stem. Fill this cylindrical space densely with dry, loose material such as straw, shredded leaves, or wood mulch, which traps air and prevents heat loss from the soil.
After filling the cage, the entire structure must be capped with a waterproof material, such as a plastic tarp or a sheet of plywood, to prevent rain and snowmelt from saturating the insulation. Moisture is the greatest threat to a dormant banana corm, as wet insulation loses its thermal properties and can lead to rot.
Storing Potted or Tender Varieties
Before the first expected frost, prepare tender banana varieties by gradually reducing watering to induce dormancy. The foliage is then cut back, leaving only a short section of the pseudostem, typically six to twelve inches tall, which conserves the plant’s energy for the winter.
The potted plant should be inspected thoroughly for pests, such as spider mites, which can proliferate in the dry, indoor air before being moved inside. The plant is then placed in a non-freezing storage area, such as a cool basement, unheated garage, or crawl space, where the temperature remains consistently between 40°F and 50°F.
During this dormant period, the plant requires no light and very little water. The goal is to keep the root ball only slightly moist, preventing it from drying out completely or from rotting due to overwatering. For larger in-ground tender plants, the corm can be dug up, excess soil shaken off, and the root mass stored bare-root in a container of dry peat moss or slightly moist sand in a similar cool environment.
Spring Rejuvenation and Care
In the spring, after the last threat of hard frost has passed and soil temperatures begin to warm, gradually remove the protective winter insulation, including the tarp and the filling material, from in-ground plants. Removing the material too early risks damage from a late cold snap, while removing it too late can cause the plant to sprout prematurely in the dark enclosure.
Once the insulation is cleared, the remaining pseudostem will likely appear soft and brown, which is normal dieback. New growth, a tightly furled spear, will emerge directly from the center of the corm or the base of the stem. Provide a generous initial watering to signal the end of dormancy.
Potted plants that were stored indoors should be moved to an area with increasing light and warmer temperatures. Begin watering them regularly and apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 formula, to encourage vigorous new growth. The plants should be gradually acclimated to outdoor conditions over about a week before being moved to their final sunny summer location.