Winter Care for Banana Palms in Texas

To Cut or Not to Cut Bananas for Winter

Texas: Huge bananas around pool. Owner wants to leave tall for winter; asks if must cut back or can mulch/cover corm.

Strategy

• Don't cut back—no viable way. Let freeze damage happen, then prune dead parts.
• Protect corm (roots) with mulch/cover.
• If corm survives, regrowth occurs.
• If fruit desired, only trim dead growth; stalk fruits once then dies.
• If no fruit expected, aesthetic trim ok; but cutting to base invites new growth vulnerable to frost.