Banana Trees, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Bananas grow fast in SW Florida and can give you a tropical screen and your own fruit within a year or two. They want full sun, steady water, regular feeding and shelter from wind and cold. A banana is a giant herb, not a true tree, so a hard freeze kills the top and the clump regrows from the base. We deliver and plant banana plants, set at the right depth and watered in.
- Light:
- Full sun, sheltered from wind
- Water:
- High; about 1 to 1.5 in of water a week, with good drainage
- Salt:
- Low to moderate; salt wind burns the leaves
Banana Tree sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Banana Tree | Call for Quote |
Banana Tree in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 8 to 20 ft tall depending on type; clumps spread 6 to 10 ft or more
- Light
- Full sun, sheltered from wind
- Water
- High; about 1 to 1.5 in of water a week, with good drainage
- Salt tolerance
- Low to moderate; salt wind burns the leaves
- Cold tolerance
- Leaves brown near freezing and the top dies back in a hard freeze; the clump normally regrows from the base in spring, but that year's fruit is lost
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Spacing
- 8 to 10 ft between clumps; about 6 ft for dwarf types
- Florida native
- No, native to Southeast Asia
- Botanical name
- Musa spp.
Where Banana Tree works in a SW Florida yard
Put bananas where they get all-day sun and a windbreak, such as the south or east side of a house or fence, which also gives the best frost protection. A clump of three looks fuller than a single stalk and screens a neighbor or a utility area in a season or two.
Keep them 10 feet or more from pool decks, since the big leaves shed heavily. Papaya, ornamental ginger, heliconia and alocasia all want the same sun, water and feeding.
- Quick tropical screening
- Backyard fruit
- Bold foliage accent
- Warm, sheltered corners
How our crew plants it
Dig the hole about twice as wide as the pot and no deeper than the root ball, and set the plant so the soil line matches the surrounding grade. Banana roots are shallow, so the stem is never buried. We backfill with native soil, water in well and mulch 3 to 4 inches deep, pulled back from the stem.
Lee and Collier allow extra watering for new plantings, so keep the soil moist every day or two at first, then settle into regular deep watering.
Care after planting
- Water deeply through the dry season, November to May, since a banana wilts fast when sandy soil dries out and fruit set suffers.
- Bananas are heavy feeders, especially for potassium, so feed in spring and early fall with a banana or palm-type fertilizer such as 6-2-12; Lee County and Naples ban nitrogen and phosphorus June 1 to September 30.
- Keep three or four stalks per clump at different ages, and cut each fruited stalk to the ground after harvest.
- Mulch 3 to 4 inches deep to hold moisture in the sand, keeping it off the stems.
- Before a freeze, mound mulch over the base and cover young plants; afterward, cut off burned leaves and wait for new growth.
What to watch for
- Wind shreds the big leaves into ribbons and salt spray burns the edges, so open waterfront spots look ragged while plants behind a house or fence stay cleaner.
- Root-knot nematodes in sandy soil, leaf spot (Sigatoka) and Fusarium wilt can weaken or kill clumps over time, so mulch well, keep drainage good and remove badly spotted leaves.
- A hurricane will flatten the stalks, but the clump usually regrows from the base once the debris is cleared.
Banana Tree questions we hear
How fast do banana trees grow in Florida?+
Fast. A potted banana can add several feet in a single warm season, and most types give a ripe bunch about one to two years after planting, depending on the type and how cold the winter is. Growth slows from December to February and takes off again in spring.
Will a banana tree survive a freeze in Cape Coral or Fort Myers?+
The leaves burn near freezing, and in a hard freeze the top dies back, but the root mass usually regrows in spring. Coastal Lee rarely freezes. Inland, around Lehigh Acres and North Fort Myers, plant on the south side of the house and mound mulch over the base before a cold night.
How far apart should I plant bananas?+
Give full-size types 8 to 10 feet between clumps and dwarf types about 6 feet. Each clump keeps adding suckers, so they fill in fast. Keep them 10 feet or more from the house and pool for leaf drop and wind.
Do banana trees die after they fruit?+
Each stalk fruits once and then dies, but the clump sends up new suckers. Cut the fruited stalk to the ground after you pick the bunch, and keep three or four stalks of different ages so one is always coming up behind it.
Can I grow bananas on a canal lot or near the beach?+
Yes, with shelter. Salt spray and wind burn the leaf edges, so bananas do better behind a house, fence or hedge than on open waterfront. Expect ragged leaves on exposed lots, but the plant itself usually keeps going.
How much does it cost to have a banana tree planted?+
Price depends on the type, the size, how many plants you want and the spot. Text us a photo and the count, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day. Half down holds the plants and a delivery day.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Banana Tree
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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