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Ice Cream Banana Tree

$11995 $29995
Height

Your Plants are Guaranteed to Grow

Your plants are guaranteed to arrive happy & healthy with our 1 Year Warranty. Your order will arrive healthy and stay healthy while they adapt to your climate. If your tree arrives damaged or dies within 30 days, we'll replace it for free. If it dies after 30 days, but before 1 year, we will replace it for just 50% of the current price.

Free Shipping on All Orders

Relax... we've got you covered with free shipping on every order! We ship out so many huge plants, we've negotiated a low rate with our carriers... and we pass those savings on to you! Your plants will ship out the next business day... expertly packed so that your plants will arrive happy and healthy!

Is Now a Good Time to Plant?

Yes! Fall is one of the best times to plant!

Landscaping experts often recommend planting in fall instead of waiting until spring. Here’s why:

  • Cooler weather puts less stress on newly planted trees and shrubs.
  • Fall soil is still warm, which helps roots grow and get established.
  • Cooler temperatures mean less water is lost through the leaves, making it easier for plants to stay hydrated.
  • Even after top growth slows for winter, roots continue developing below ground.
  • Fall weather often brings more rain and less heat, making new plants easier to care for.
  • By spring, your plants already have a head start. Their established roots can support strong new leaves, branches, and flowers.
  • Trees planted in spring must establish their roots while also dealing with rising temperatures and summer heat.

Plant this fall, and your trees can spend the cooler months getting settled instead of waiting until spring to get started!

Planting your Ice Cream Banana Tree

Planting Instructions for Ice Cream Banana Tree (Musa ‘Ice Cream’)

  1. Site Selection and Soil Preparation:
  • Location: Choose a spot with full sun for the best growth (at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day). In hotter climates, some afternoon shade can help prevent leaf scorching. Ensure the area is protected from strong winds that can damage the large leaves.
  • Soil: Ice Cream Banana Trees thrive in well-draining, rich soil. They prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. If your soil is heavy clay or drains poorly, amend it with organic compost and sand to improve drainage and aeration.
  • Spacing: Space trees about 10-12 feet apart to give them enough room to grow, as they can reach up to 15 feet tall.
  • Digging: Dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the root ball. Loosen the soil around the planting site to encourage strong root establishment.
  1. Planting:
  • Place the tree in the hole, ensuring the top of the root ball is slightly above the surrounding soil to prevent water from pooling around the roots.
  • Backfill the hole with soil, gently firming it around the roots but not compacting it too tightly.
  • Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil and eliminate any air pockets.
  • Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the base of the tree, keeping it a few inches away from the trunk to prevent rot. Mulch helps retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds.

Care Instructions

  1. Watering: Ice Cream Banana Trees require consistent moisture, especially during their first year. Water deeply 1-2 times per week, more frequently in hot or dry conditions. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, as bananas are sensitive to both drought and soggy conditions.
  2. Fertilizing: Banana trees are heavy feeders, so apply a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) every 2-4 weeks during the growing season (spring through summer). Use a fertilizer high in nitrogen and potassium to encourage vigorous growth and fruit production. Organic compost or manure also provides slow-release nutrients.
  3. Monitoring: Keep an eye on the leaves for signs of stress. Yellowing leaves can indicate nutrient deficiencies or improper watering. Also, check for common banana pests such as aphids, spider mites, or banana weevils, which can be treated with neem oil or insecticidal soap if needed.

Maintenance and Long-Term Care

  1. Pruning: Ice Cream Banana Trees don’t require much pruning. Simply remove any dead or damaged leaves as needed to maintain a tidy appearance. After the tree has fruited, the main stalk will die back. Cut the stalk down to the ground, and new “pups” (shoots) will emerge from the base to take over.
  2. Pest and Disease Control: Ice Cream Banana Trees are generally resilient, but they can occasionally suffer from pests like aphids, mealybugs, or spider mites. If pests are present, spray the plant with neem oil or insecticidal soap. Prevent fungal diseases by ensuring proper drainage and spacing between plants, which improves air circulation.
  3. Winter Protection:
  • Ice Cream Banana Trees are hardy in USDA zones 8-11. In colder zones, they may need protection from frost. If you live in a cooler area (zones 7 and below), consider growing the tree in a large container and bringing it indoors before the first frost.
  • For outdoor trees in colder climates, cut the tree back to about 1 foot above the ground after the first frost and cover the base with a thick layer of mulch (about 8-12 inches) to protect the roots over winter. In spring, new growth will emerge from the roots.

Harvesting and Use Instructions

  1. Harvesting:
  • Timing: Ice Cream Banana Trees typically fruit 9-18 months after planting, depending on growing conditions. The bananas themselves will mature about 2-3 months after the flower appears.
  • Picking: The bananas are ready to harvest when they change from green to a pale blue or silvery color and start to turn slightly yellow. The fruit should be firm and plump. Cut the entire bunch (called a "hand") from the tree when the first bananas start to ripen.
  • Ripening: After harvesting, allow the bananas to fully ripen off the tree. Store them at room temperature until they turn yellow and soft.
  1. Taste and Use:
  • Ice Cream Bananas have a sweet, creamy texture with a flavor often compared to vanilla or ice cream, hence the name. They are delicious eaten fresh, added to smoothies, or used in desserts such as banana bread or banana splits.
  • The bananas can also be dried or frozen for later use.

Winter Care for Colder Zones

If you are growing the tree in a container, move it indoors to a warm, sunny location before the first frost. Ensure it gets adequate light (a south-facing window or grow light works well) and reduce watering during the winter months when the plant is not actively growing.

What Customers say about the Ice Cream Banana Tree:

The Ice Cream Banana Tree thrives in Zones 4-11 patio / 8-11 outdoors

Growing Zones for the Ice Cream Banana Tree

If you live in the green area above, we recommend the Ice Cream Banana Tree.

Your Growing Zone
Recommended Zones 4-11 patio / 8-11 outdoors
Mature Height 10-15 ft.
Mature Width 8-10 ft.
Cannot Ship To AZ, OR
Sunlight Full Sun
Botanical Name Musa acuminata 'Blue Java'

Plants that Make a Difference

For 20+ years, our team has shipped healthy, established plants to gardeners like you- all across the country. Every plant is selected and cared for by our plant experts before it ships to your door.

  • 20+ Years Experience

  • Superior Quality

  • Free Shipping on All Orders

  • Guaranteed to Grow

Ice Cream Banana Tree - NationwidePlants.com

Beware- not all Ice Cream Banana Trees are the same.

Be sure to get superior banana trees, grown by experts.

Better Roots Make Stronger Plants: Some nurseries send you "bare root" banana trees to save on shipping. Even worse, others have started digging them right out of the ground before shipping. This causes major transplant shock and long-term damage. We send you Ice Cream Banana Trees in soil-filled containers- ensuring a well-developed root system that is ready to grow and produce!

Healthy Plants: We've seen other nurseries grow tall banana trees in tiny pots to save on shipping. This leads to a "root bound" tree, where the roots have outgrown their pot- they cannot absorb water and nutrients. They quickly dry out during shipment, leading to an unhealthy tree.

The Ice Cream (Blue Java) Banana is famous for creamy, vanilla-like fruit and striking silvery-blue bunches.

  • Sweet, creamy, vanilla-like flavor often compared to soft-serve ice cream
  • Silvery-blue unripe fruit that turns yellow as it ripens
  • More cold tolerant than most bananas, hardy to about 20°F
  • Grows 10-15 ft. tall; outdoors in zones 8-11 or potted in zones 4-11

Not all plants are created equal

The Difference Is in the Roots

Every plant we ship has grown in a nursery container with its roots protected, so it arrives healthy, established and ready to thrive in your yard.

A full, branched Nationwide Plants tree in a nursery pot next to a thin bare-root tree with exposed roots Ours: container grown Theirs: bare root
Nationwide Plants Other Nurseries
How it's grown Grown in a nursery container, roots protected the whole time Pulled or dug from the field, tearing fragile roots
How it arrives Arrives in its pot with soil intact Arrives bare root, exposed and drying out
Before shipping Growing naturally until it ships Held dormant in a cooler, then shocked by a hot shipping box
Root health Strong, well-developed roots with room to grow Crammed into a small pot until it's root bound
Height Measured from the top of the soil Often includes the pot and roots
After planting Settles in quickly with less transplant shock Arrives stressed and can take years to recover, if it does

The height you see is the height you plant.

We measure every plant from the top of the soil, not the bottom of the pot. Many nurseries include the pot and roots, so a "5–6 ft." tree from them might stand only 4 ft. tall once it's planted.

Comparisons reflect common practices across the online plant industry, not any single company.

Honest Measurements: Some nurseries measure trees including the pot and roots, so their "3-4 ft." tree may only be about half that size when planted. We measure all of our plants from the soil line, so the height you see is what you can expect after planting.

From our nursery to your door

How We Ship Your Plants

Every order is hand-selected, watered and carefully packed so it arrives healthy and ready to plant. Here's what happens after you place your order.

  1. Hand-Picked for You

    Our team selects the best plant available for your order. For privacy trees, that's the tallest and fullest. For fruit trees, it's the best branched.

    Why it matters: Many online nurseries ship whatever is next in the row.

  2. A Deep Drink Before the Trip

    Every plant gets a thorough watering right before it's packed, so it starts the journey fully hydrated.

  3. Roots Sealed In

    We wrap the pot and roots in plastic to lock in moisture, so your plant has water to drink all the way to your door.

    Why it matters: Bare-root plants are often shipped with their roots exposed and drying out.

  4. Braced for the Ride

    Cardboard inserts are secured inside every box to hold your plant in place, so it won't slide, tip or get damaged in transit.

  5. Shipped Only by FedEx

    We ship your trees exclusively with FedEx. We've found they deliver the fastest and handle live plants the most gently.

And if anything goes wrong, every plant is backed by our 1 Year Warranty.

Healthy Roots Make a Huge Difference

  • Never buy bare-root plants. These trees are starved of nutrients, and have a low survival rate.
  • Beware of nurseries cut corners by growing in small pots. These "rootbound" plants are weak, struggle to absorb nutrients, and die quickly after planting.
  • Some nurseries try to sell oversized plants, but chop off vital roots so they can cram the rootball into a narrow box to save on shipping!

You Want Ice Cream Banana Trees Grown by Experts

Some nurseries ship thin, weak banana plants grown in tiny pots to save money. These "root bound" plants can spend years recovering before they give you a real harvest.

Nationwide Plants only sends you strong Ice Cream Banana Trees, selected and cared for by our plant experts, with healthy, developed root systems. That means your plant settles in quickly and starts growing toward its first bunch of bananas sooner.

Read more about the Ice Cream Banana Tree

The Ice Cream Banana Tree – Sweet Treats, Tropical Looks!

Imagine stepping into your garden or home, plucking a banana right off your very own tree, and savoring a fruit that tastes like vanilla ice cream. With the Ice Cream Banana Tree from Nationwide Plants, LLC, that dream can become a reality! This tree doesn’t just bring a tropical vibe to your space – it delivers a unique, creamy fruit that’s a crowd favorite.

Why Choose the Ice Cream Banana Tree?

The Ice Cream Banana Tree is known for its delicious, vanilla-flavored fruit and its striking appearance. Whether you're looking to add a tropical touch to your garden or enjoy home-grown bananas, this tree is a standout choice.

  • Creamy, Vanilla-Flavored Fruit: Often referred to as the "Blue Java Banana," this variety is famous for its sweet, creamy texture, similar to soft-serve ice cream. Perfect for smoothies, fresh snacks, or homemade desserts!
  • Fast-Growing & Cold-Tolerant: Unlike other banana varieties, the Ice Cream Banana Tree thrives even in cooler climates. It's hardy down to 20°F, making it suitable for a wider range of environments.
  • Tropical Beauty: Its large, silvery-green leaves create an exotic, lush look that will transport your garden or patio to the tropics, even if you live in a cooler region.

Easy Growing, Big Rewards

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a complete beginner, the Ice Cream Banana Tree is incredibly easy to grow. It’s a fast-growing variety that will reward you with beautiful foliage and delicious bananas within just a couple of growing seasons.

  • Low Maintenance: This banana tree thrives in full sun or partial shade and adapts well to various soil types, as long as they are well-draining. It's also a fast grower, so you’ll be enjoying its lush greenery and sweet fruit in no time.
  • Indoor or Outdoor Growth: Perfect for patios or garden planting, the Ice Cream Banana Tree can also be grown indoors, making it versatile for various climates. If you live in a cooler zone, plant it in a container and bring it inside during the colder months.

How to Care for Your Ice Cream Banana Tree

Growing your own bananas is simpler than you might think. Follow these basic care guidelines, and you’ll have a thriving tree in no time.

  1. Planting: Choose a sunny spot with at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. If planting in a container, ensure the pot has adequate drainage and use rich, well-draining soil.

  2. Watering: Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. During summer, water your tree every 2 to 3 days. In cooler months, reduce watering to every few weeks, depending on the climate.

  3. Fertilizing: Feed your tree with a well-balanced organic fertilizer once a month during the growing season. For best results, use half of the recommended dosage to encourage healthy growth without overwhelming the plant.

  4. Pruning: Remove any damaged or yellowing leaves regularly to encourage new growth. After the tree produces fruit, cut it back to about 30 inches tall and allow the stem to dry out before removing it. This will make room for new stalks to grow.

Why Buy From Nationwide Plants, LLC?

At Nationwide Plants, LLC, we’re dedicated to providing you with the best-quality trees, grown with care and attention. Our Ice Cream Banana Trees arrive ready to thrive, with well-established root systems and lush foliage.

  • Faster Fruit: Our trees are nurtured and ready to produce fruit much sooner than seed-grown varieties. You’ll enjoy delicious bananas as soon as the first few growing seasons.
  • Grown for Success: We hand-pick our trees to ensure you receive only the healthiest, strongest plants. Your Ice Cream Banana Tree will arrive fully prepped for growth, giving you the best chance at success.
  • Exclusive Variety: You won’t find this rare, flavorful banana tree at big-box stores. Make your garden stand out with this unique, tropical treasure!

Bring the Tropics to Your Home

The Ice Cream Banana Tree is the perfect addition to any garden or patio, bringing both beauty and bounty. From its stunning, tropical leaves to its sweet, creamy bananas, this tree is a must-have for plant lovers of all levels. Imagine enjoying home-grown bananas with a flavor unlike anything you’ll find at the store!

Order Yours Today!

Ready to add a taste of the tropics to your garden? The Ice Cream Banana Tree from Nationwide Plants, LLC will transport you to a tropical paradise and provide you with delicious bananas in just a few seasons. Don’t miss out – order yours today!

Frequently Asked Questions about the Ice Cream Banana Tree

What does an Ice Cream Banana taste like?

Ice Cream Bananas have a sweet, creamy, vanilla-like flavor often compared to soft-serve ice cream. Also known as Blue Java bananas, they are famous for their smooth texture. They are delicious fresh and are especially popular in smoothies and homemade desserts.

Why are Ice Cream Bananas blue?

Ice Cream Bananas have a distinctive silvery-blue skin while they are unripe, which gives the Blue Java variety its name. As they ripen, the skin turns yellow like other bananas. The striking blue fruit bunches add ornamental interest before they are ready to eat.

How tall does an Ice Cream Banana Tree get?

An Ice Cream Banana Tree typically grows 10 to 15 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide. When planting more than one, space them about 10 to 12 feet apart. Choose a spot sheltered from strong winds, which can tear the large leaves. Container plants usually stay smaller.

How cold hardy is the Ice Cream Banana Tree?

The Ice Cream Banana is more cold tolerant than most banana varieties and is rated hardy down to about 20 degrees F. Frost will still damage the leaves, but established plants can regrow from the base when warm weather returns. It can be grown outdoors in USDA zones 8 through 11.

Can I grow an Ice Cream Banana Tree in a container?

Yes, the Ice Cream Banana Tree can be grown in a container as a patio plant in USDA zones 4 through 11. Use a pot with good drainage and rich, well-draining soil, then bring it indoors to a bright, sunny spot before cold weather arrives. Move it back outside once temperatures warm in spring.

How long does it take an Ice Cream Banana Tree to produce fruit?

An Ice Cream Banana Tree can reward you with bananas within a couple of growing seasons when given full sun, warmth, and regular feeding. Each stalk fruits once and then dies back. Cut it to the ground after harvest, and new shoots called pups will emerge to produce future crops.

How much sun does an Ice Cream Banana Tree need?

An Ice Cream Banana Tree grows best in full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. In very hot climates, a little afternoon shade can help prevent leaf scorch. Plant it in well-draining, rich soil with a pH of about 5.5 to 7.0.

How often should I water an Ice Cream Banana Tree?

Water an Ice Cream Banana Tree deeply 1 to 2 times per week, more often in hot or dry weather. Bananas need consistent moisture, especially in their first year, but they are sensitive to soggy soil. Reduce watering in cooler months when growth slows.

What fertilizer does an Ice Cream Banana Tree need?

Ice Cream Banana Trees are heavy feeders. Apply a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 every 2 to 4 weeks from spring through summer, choosing one with good nitrogen and potassium to support growth and fruiting. Organic compost or manure provide helpful slow-release nutrients too.

Are Ice Cream Banana plants safe for pets?

Banana plants are generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs, so the Ice Cream Banana is a good option for pet-friendly homes and patios. Pets may still chew the large leaves, which can cause mild stomach upset if they eat a lot, so keep an eye on curious animals.
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