Yes you can keep pretty much any banana plant growing indoors if you have enough light. If you’re a lucky one and have a heated conservatory, or similar then you’re in luck and in the perfect situation.

Musa acuminata
The only issue with growing banana plants indoors is that they grow so very quickly, especially if you’re growing a commonly grown banana plant like the fab Musa Basjoo. This will outgrow your conservatory quickly! However, plenty of dwarf varieties exist, like the Musa Cavendish Dwarf, so start with that one (assuming you can keep the place warm)
How do you care for a potted banana plant indoors?
Light and warmth is key here, and lots of water through the summer. Easy to grow, and amazing to look at.
Is a banana plant indoor or outdoor?
In the UK you can grow banana plants indoor and outdoors. If you are growing indoors perhaps try something like the Super Dwarf Cavendish, and if you are growing bananas outside and want something tough and huge then the best choice is Musa basjoo. If you choose to grow this banana outside, read how to over winter banana plants outside.
Where should you store a banana plant at home?
If you are over wintering a banana plant such as the Ensete, you can store somewhere above 5c and it’ll be fine through the winter. Personally I have kept small Ensete’s fully cut back in a tight pot in the corner of a conservatory through the winter, and then planted outside again come the post frost months.
How do you overwinter a banana plant indoors?
If you are only growing a banana plant indoors you don’t need to worry about over wintering it, just reduce the watering in line with the amount of growth and sunshine you get. IE it doesn’t need much at all through the winter. Err on the side of sparing through the winter.
Obviously as discussed earlier if you want to overwinter bananas indoors that you’ve been growing outdoors through the summer it depends on which type. Basjoo are fine anywhere frost free, Ensete’s need 5c+. Keep everything on the dry side.
Why is my indoor banana plant dying?
Most likely it’s not getting enough light. When in full growth banana plants are voracious feeders, and require full indirect light. It just won’t survive anywhere indoors unless in a warm bay window or conservatory, or large window. Small north facing windows are never going to work out well!
If it’s well lit, then it could be lack of warmth. Some varieties don’t like to dip below 18c, so please do check what type you have before expecting it to survive!
If you have the warmth and the light, then it’ll be either under or over watering.
Further reading:
- How to overwinter banana plants through the winter months
- GROW GUIDE: How to grow banana plants
- What Should I Plant with Musa Basjoo?
- Can you grow a banana plant indoors?
- Can you grow banana fruit in a UK garden?
Other types of banana trees / banana plants you can buy and grow in the UK
Other great banana trees or banana plants to grow and buy in the UK are of course the Musa Basjoo, Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ – Red Abyssinian Ethiopian banana, Musa lasiocarpa, Musa Sikkimensis and Musa Acuminata Dwarf Cavendish.
Last Modified: October 11, 2023