That’s the question I found myself musing over this morning while wandering round the house getting ready for work. And I don’t even like bananas!
The short answer to this vital question: yes, but with pretty significant limits 🍌
In the UK you can grow banana plants, but getting edible bananas is difficult unless you control the environment.
What works in the UK
- Hardy banana (Musa basjoo)
- Grows well outdoors in much of the UK
- Survives winter with the appropriate protection
- Looks tropical but does not produce edible fruit
- Ensete ventricosum (Abyssinian banana)
- Also ornamental
- Needs to be brought indoors in winter
Growing edible bananas
To actually get fruit (like Cavendish or similar variety):
- You will definitely need a greenhouse or conservatory
- Temperature: should ideally be 20–30°C
- High humidity and lots of light are needed
- It can take up to 1–3 years to fruit
- Works best in southern UK with heated greenhouses
Summary
- ✅ You can grow banana plants anywhere in the UK
- ❌ Outdoor fruiting is basically impossible
- ⚠️ Greenhouse fruiting is possible but challenging
- 🌿 Most UK-grown bananas are for ornamental, tropical effect
