Banana Shrub (Magnolia figo) – Flowering plants

Banana Shrub (Magnolia figo) is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 10 – 13 feet tall. The leaves are leathery, dark glossy-green, up to 10 cm long. The cup-shaped, banana-scented flowers are greenish-yellow to ivory white, with a fine dark red margin to the petals, and appear in spring and summer.

Scientific classification:

Family: Magnoliaceae
Genus: Magnolia
Species: M.figo

Scientific Name: Magnolia figo
Synonyms: Liriodendron figo, Michelia figo, Michelia fuscata, Magnolia fuscata
Common Names : Banana Shrub, Portwine Magnolia, Dwarf Chempaka, Brown-stalked Magnolia, Chinese Tulip Tree, Chempaka Ambon, Pisang-pisang, Kaum Chempaka.

How to grow and maintain Banana Shrub (Magnolia figo):

Light:
It thrives best in full sun to partial shade.

Soil:
It grows well in evenly moist, fertile, slightly acidic, organically rich, well-drained soil.  Use a peat moss-based potting mix such as African violet mix is ideal.

Water:
Water regularly, always keep the soil evenly moist in spring and summer.

Temperature:
It prefers an average room temperatures 60°F – 75°F / 16°C – 24°C. This subtropical shrub is hardy to USDA Zone 8, so if you scoot the container outdoors for the warm months, bring it back in when the temperatures drops in autumn.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize every 2-3 weeks with a high-potassium liquid fertilizer diluted by half while plant is growing.

Propagation:
It can be easily propagated by seed sown in autumn, softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-ripe cuttings in mid or late summer. Take 10 cm stem tip cuttings with leaves attached in summer. They’ll root easily in moist potting mix in about 5-6 weeks.

Pests and Diseases:
It has no serious pest or disease problems. Watch for scale. Late frosts may damage flowers.