• Image of Musa itinerans var. itinerans 'Mekong Giant' PP 24,315|Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC|JLBG

    Photo by JLBG taken at Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC

  • Image of Musa itinerans var. itinerans 'Mekong Giant' PP 24,315|Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC|JLBG

    Photo by JLBG taken at Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC

  • Image of Musa itinerans var. itinerans 'Mekong Giant' PP 24,315|B. Williams Gdn, KY|B. Williams

    Photo by B. Williams taken at B. Williams Gdn, KY

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Musa itinerans var. itinerans 'Mekong Giant' PP 24,315

Mekong Giant Hardy Banana

This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.

Shop Available Musa
2 Reviews
| 1 answered question

Item #: 9631

Zones: 7a to 10b, possibly colder

Dormancy: Winter

Height: 216" tall

Culture: Sun to Part Sun

Origin: China

Pot Size: 2 qt. (1.9 L)


(aka: Musa itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis) Musa xishuangbannaensis (Musa itinerans var. itinerans) is a newly discovered species of cold-hardy giant banana from Yunnan, China. Musa 'Mekong Giant' is a seedling selection made by our friend Brian Williams, of Louisville, Kentucky, for its bright reddish-purple trunk in addition to its outstanding winter hardiness in Louisville's Zone 6 climate for over nine years. Imagine a Musa basjoo on steroids and you get the idea, although Musa 'Mekong Giant' spreads from long rhizomes, so allow plenty of room in the garden. Our oldest clumps have reached a maximum height of 18' tall, but in climates with warmer winters it can reportedly reach 40'.