Bananas can add an instant tropical look to any landscape. They are fast-growing, with huge, tropical-looking leaves. Although the cold-hardy temperate varieties listed below rarely fruit in colder climates, they are valuable for their dramatic foliage.

Musa basjoo has long been considered the hardiest banana. It should be hardy to zone 6, and it has been overwintered in zone 5 with a heavy mulch.

Musella lasiocarpa and Musa sikkimensis have also been recognized as very hardy, although preliminary trials suggest that they are slightly less hardy than Musa basjoo.

Here are some popular hardy bananas to try growing in your garden:

• Musa basjoo (Japanese fiber banana)
• Musella lasiocarpa (Chinese yellow banana)
• Musa sikkimensis (Sikkim banana)