Banana 'Sweetheart' (Musa acuminata FHIA-3)

The Sweetheart hybrid is an outstanding dwarf banana for home gardens that grows 8 to 12 feet high. It is fast growing and produces large clusters of fruit that are 30 to 150 pounds. Sweetheart was bred to be a cooking banana when green but is also excellent eaten fresh out-of-hand when ripe, in fruit salads, ice cream, and desserts with a sweet apple flavor, rich in vitamins B6, C, and potassium.

Sweetheart, or ‘FHIA-03 Sweetheart’ was developed in Honduras in 1987 to be drought, wind, and disease-resistant. It can grow in a variety of moist soils as long as they are well-draining. In warm climates, it lends a tropical flair to the garden with its huge leaves and is also good in containers because of its size. It is somewhat cold-hardy, down to 20 degrees F, and can be brought inside during the cold weather or in northern areas. Sweetheart is hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11.