Market survey of potential musa gracilis and other ornamental bananas for landscaping

Malaysia is one of the centers of biodiversity in the region that contains a variety of unique species, including bananas and other species of other indigenous species. This study was conducted by market survey to indentify the potential of wild banana Musa gracilis and other ornamental banana to be used as ornamental plants for landscaping industry, and plants in the yard. Five Musa gracilis plants grown wild in the Highlands Lodging and selected ornamental banana trees purchased from a nursery in Janda Baik, Pahang were planted in the garden in UMK Jeli Campus. This study was conducted to test the feasibility of Musa gracilis plant to be used for landscaping at newly developed areas like the UMK Jeli Campus. The results shown that while the needs of the market potential ornamental plants in Malaysian Peninsular RM 391.020 and ornamental banana plant still has a great potential if given attention in terms of promotion and marketing strategies. Attempts to propagate the Musa gracilis at the lowlands area is successful with a promising growth of new shoots and increase in the number of new shoots showed the ability to survive outside of their natural habitat and has the potential to be used as an ornamental plant.