Musella lasiocarpa

This magnificent ornamental banana is more of a shrub than the typical taller banana. The stiff, thick, leathery, grey-green, banana-like foliage is borne atop a stalk that can eventually reach 6′ in height. Instead of being prized for its fruit, Musella lasiocarpa is grown more for its flowers. Each specimen is home to large, bizarrely beautiful, yellow flowers that look like giant golden artichokes…we’re not making this up! For us, Musella lasiocarpa has sailed through more than two decades of winters in our zone 7b garden, and without any mulch! We’re starting to believe those rumors of incredible winter hardiness.