Which banana to grow comes down to the space you have and the winters you get. Dwarf Cavendish is the compact, store-type banana, Lady Finger and Blue Java are tall and rewarding, Goldfinger brings disease resistance, and Musa basjoo is the hardy ornamental. This guide compares seven. For planting and care, see our banana plant guide.
Banana varieties compared
| Variety | Best for | Size | Flavor | Cold tolerance and Panama disease |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwarf Cavendish | Small yards and pots · recommended for south Florida, where it fruits well in frost-free years (UF/IFAS) | 4–7 ft (CRFG) | Large bunches of medium-sized fruit typical of the supermarket (UF/IFAS, TAMU) | Fair cold tolerance · resistant to Panama disease · susceptible to Black Sigatoka (UF/IFAS) |
| Lady Finger | Cooler conditions · excellent-quality fruit (CRFG) | 20–25 ft (CRFG) | Thin-skinned fruit about 1 in. by 4 in., flavor superior to supermarket bananas (TAMU) | Good cold tolerance · susceptible to Panama disease (UF/IFAS) |
| Blue Java | Patient growers who want a creamy dessert banana · 18–24 months from planting to harvest (CRFG) | 15–20 ft (CRFG) | Fruit 7–9 in., aromatic, said to melt in the mouth like ice cream (CRFG) | Fair to good cold tolerance · susceptible to Panama disease (UF/IFAS) |
| Apple (Manzano) | A dessert banana in about 15 months from planting (CRFG) | 10–12 ft (CRFG) | Pleasant sub-acid apple flavor when fully ripe (CRFG) | Fair cold tolerance · susceptible to Panama disease (UF/IFAS) |
| Goldfinger | Gardeners who want disease resistance · suited to home and commercial use (UF/IFAS) | — | An excellent dessert banana (UF/IFAS) | Good cold tolerance · resistant to Panama disease and to Yellow and Black Sigatoka (UF/IFAS) |
| Orinoco | Cooking · cold-hardier than any other fruiting type (CRFG) | 16 ft (CRFG) | Coarse fruit about 6 in. by 2 in., mainly used in cooking (TAMU) | Fair to good cold tolerance · susceptible to Panama disease (UF/IFAS) |
| Hua Moa | Warm, protected sites free of Panama disease, with disease-free plants (UF/IFAS) | — | — | Poor cold tolerance · susceptible to Panama disease (UF/IFAS) |
| Musa basjoo | Cold-climate gardens as an ornamental · not for eating | Pseudostems to 6 ft, leaves make it look twice as tall (Arkansas Extension) | — | Rhizomes hardy to −10°F if pruned and mulched (NC State) |
For close-ups of the two most asked-about, see our Dwarf Cavendish and Blue Java pages.
Pick by situation
For a small yard or a pot: Dwarf Cavendish
CRFG calls Dwarf Cavendish the smallest banana at 4 to 7 feet, and TAMU describes it as short and compact, with fruit typical of the supermarket. TAMU also says wind damage is less severe on it because of its size. CRFG says dwarf types make good container specimens if given careful attention. Read the Dwarf Cavendish page for more.
For flavor: Lady Finger, Apple or Blue Java
TAMU says Lady Finger fruit is thin-skinned, about 1 inch across and 4 inches long, with flavor superior to supermarket bananas. CRFG describes Apple (also called Silk or Manzano) as a dessert type with a pleasant sub-acid apple flavor when fully ripe, and Blue Java as aromatic fruit that is said to melt in the mouth like ice cream. All three are tall plants, 10 to 25 feet, so they suit a bigger garden. The Blue Java page covers that one in depth.
For disease resistance: Goldfinger
UF/IFAS calls Goldfinger (FHIA-01) an excellent dessert banana with resistance to Panama disease and to Yellow and Black Sigatoka. If Panama disease is a worry in your soil, it is the one to look at first. Dwarf Cavendish is also resistant to Panama disease, though UF/IFAS notes it is susceptible to Black Sigatoka.
For cooler conditions
For fruit, look at Orinoco, which CRFG says grows to 16 feet and is more cold hardy than any other, and Lady Finger, which UF/IFAS describes as a tall-growing clone tolerant of cool conditions. UF/IFAS rates both as good or fair to good for cold tolerance. None of them is a zone 5 plant. If your winters are properly cold, Musa basjoo is the one that survives. NC State says its growth dies back to the ground in zones 5 to 8 and the rhizomes are cold hardy to minus 10°F if properly pruned and mulched. The University of Arkansas Extension says the hardy banana is perfectly hardy through most of the South and can be grown throughout much of the Midwest. It is grown for its leaves, not for fruit you would eat. Our banana overwintering guide explains how to protect it.
How long until you get bananas?
UF/IFAS says the flowering stalk emerges 10 to 15 months after planting, and LSU says fruit takes three to six months to mature after that. Cultivars differ. CRFG gives about 15 months from planting to harvest for Apple, and 18 to 24 months for Blue Java.
| Variety | Planting to harvest |
|---|---|
| Apple (Manzano) | About 15 months (CRFG) |
| Blue Java | 18–24 months (CRFG) |
| Any banana in general | Flower stalk 10–15 months after planting, then 3–6 months to mature (UF/IFAS, LSU) |
Buying a variety
Buy a plant from a nursery in your region, or from a plant sale run by your county extension office or a local fruit-growers club, and check that the label gives the variety name. You can also take a sucker from a clump you know. UF/IFAS says suckers, or pieces of the rhizome, are the most common planting material. Our guide on how to grow a banana tree from a banana shows how.
Next steps
Once you have a variety in mind, read the banana plant guide for planting and care. If you garden in a small space, see the banana plant in a pot guide. For other warm-climate fruit, try the mango tree guide or browse the tropical fruit section.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best banana variety for a home garden?
For most gardens, Dwarf Cavendish. CRFG lists it as the smallest at 4 to 7 feet, TAMU calls it short and compact with fruit typical of the supermarket, and UF/IFAS rates it resistant to Panama disease. Its drawback is susceptibility to Black Sigatoka.
Which banana is the most cold hardy?
For fruit, CRFG says Orinoco grows to 16 feet and is more cold hardy than any other, and UF/IFAS rates Lady Finger and Goldfinger as good for cold tolerance. For plain survival, the ornamental Musa basjoo has rhizomes that NC State says are hardy to minus 10°F if pruned and mulched, but its fruit is not for eating.
What is the difference between a Cavendish and a Blue Java banana?
Dwarf Cavendish is a compact plant of 4 to 7 feet with medium-sized, store-type fruit. CRFG describes Blue Java, also called Ice Cream, as medium-tall at 15 to 20 feet with 7 to 9 inch fruit that is said to melt in the mouth like ice cream, and it takes 18 to 24 months from planting to harvest.
Which banana varieties resist Panama disease?
UF/IFAS rates Dwarf Cavendish, Grand Nain and Goldfinger as resistant. It rates Lady Finger, Blue Java, Apple and Orinoco as susceptible. Goldfinger is also resistant to Yellow and Black Sigatoka.
Sources
- Banana Growing in the Florida Home Landscape (HS10/MG040), UF/IFAS Extension
- Banana Fruit Facts, California Rare Fruit Growers
- Banana, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Musa basjoo, NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
- Hardy Banana, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension