Dwarf Cavendish Banana
Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish'
The most popular dwarf banana variety for home growers, producing full-sized sweet bananas on a compact 4-6 foot plant. This remarkable variety can fruit indoors in containers or outdoors in warm climates, making homegrown bananas accessible to gardeners everywhere. The same delicious variety found in grocery stores, but incredibly fresh and flavorful when tree-ripened.
Harvest
300-450d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Difficulty
Moderate
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Dwarf Cavendish Banana in USDA Zone 10
All Zone 10 tropical →Zone Map
Click a state to update dates
Dwarf Cavendish Banana · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 10 | — | — | February – April | December – December |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Water: Cavendish subgroupA number of cultivars from the triploid AAA cultivar group; most well known banana, Cavendish subgroup.
Harvesting
An elongated, peelable fruit with creamy flesh. Many commercial cultivars are often bred to be seedless.
Color: Black, Brown/Copper, Gold/Yellow, Green, Red/Burgundy. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: 1-3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
History & Origin
Origin: Southeast Asia
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Coffee
Provides partial shade for banana, benefits from wind protection, similar water and nutrient needs
Ginger
Thrives in banana's filtered light, helps suppress weeds, repels nematodes
Turmeric
Grows well in banana's understory, natural pest deterrent, improves soil health
Sweet Potato
Excellent ground cover, suppresses weeds, nitrogen fixation improves soil
Lemongrass
Repels mosquitoes and other insects, aromatic deterrent for pests
Pineapple
Compatible growth habits, similar tropical requirements, efficient space utilization
Comfrey
Dynamic accumulator adds nutrients to soil, excellent mulch when chopped
Marigold
Deters nematodes and aphids, attracts beneficial insects
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Releases juglone toxin that inhibits banana growth and development
Eucalyptus
Allelopathic compounds suppress banana growth, competes aggressively for water
Sunflower
Allelopathic effects stunt banana growth, excessive competition for nutrients
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #173944)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Moderate resistance to Panama disease, susceptible to black sigatoka
Common Pests
Spider mites, aphids, mealybugs, nematodes
Diseases
Black sigatoka, Panama disease, bacterial wilt