The Plantain Banana is a wild banana species that is native to southern Asia. It is one of the parent species of the cultivated banana, which is a hybrid of Musa balbisiana and Musa acuminata. Hardy in zones 9-12.
Growing Instructions for the Plantain Banana
The seeds have a hard seed coat that has to be treated, or scarified, in order for water to enter the seeds so that they can sprout. 1. Scarify the seeds by nicking or sanding the seed coat. The seeds can be sanded with sandpaper, a nail file or an emery board. 2. Soak the seed in water for 24-48 hours. 3. The seeds like moist, well-drained soil. Prepare a mixture of half potting soil and half sand, perlite or vermiculite. Put the soil in a pot. Water the mixture so that it is moist but not wet. 4. Put the seeds on the soil. 5. Cover the seeds with a layer of soil. 6. Water the seeds. 7. Place the pots in an area with warm temperatures in full sun or part shade.  The seeds can take 1 month or more to germinate. 8. When the seedlings are a few inches tall, they can be transplanted.