Banana Plant Varieties
There are over a thousand banana cultivars in the world, but only a few dozen are commonly available to home growers. This guide covers the varieties you are most likely to find and grow successfully. Each variety profile includes growing conditions, fruiting information, propagation advice, and links to relevant care and troubleshooting pages.
Variety Comparison Table
| Variety | Height | Zones | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dwarf Cavendish | 5-9 feet | 9-11 (indoors anywhere) | Fruiting |
| Blue Java (Ice Cream Banana) | 12-20 feet | 8-11 | Fruiting |
| Musa Basjoo (Japanese Fiber Banana) | 12-18 feet | 4-11 | Ornamental / Cold-hardy |
| Grand Nain | 6-10 feet | 9-11 | Fruiting |
| Red Dacca (Red Banana) | 10-16 feet | 9b-11 | Fruiting / Ornamental |
| Lady Finger (Sugar Banana) | 15-25 feet | 9-11 | Fruiting |
| Dwarf Namwah (Pisang Awak) | 8-12 feet | 8b-11 | Fruiting / Cooking |
| Gros Michel | 15-25 feet | 10-11 | Fruiting |
| Musa Zebrina (Blood Banana) | 6-10 feet | 9-11 (indoors anywhere) | Ornamental |
| Ensete Ventricosum (Ethiopian Banana / False Banana) | 15-30 feet | 10-11 (annual or overwintered elsewhere) | Ornamental |
| Goldfinger (FHIA-01) | 10-14 feet | 8b-11 | Fruiting |
| Thousand Fingers | 10-14 feet | 9-11 | Fruiting / Ornamental |
| Rajapuri | 8-12 feet | 8b-11 | Fruiting |
| Musa Velutina (Pink Banana) | 4-6 feet | 7b-11 | Ornamental |
| Orinoco (Burro Banana) | 12-16 feet | 8-11 | Fruiting / Cooking |
| Ae Ae (Royal Hawaiian Variegated) | 12-18 feet | 10-11 | Ornamental / Fruiting |
| Williams Hybrid | 8-14 feet | 9-11 | Fruiting |
| Manzano (Apple Banana) | 10-15 feet | 9-11 | Fruiting |
Fruiting Varieties
These produce edible fruit. If your goal is to harvest bananas, start here:
- Dwarf Cavendish — Yes — sweet dessert banana, 6-10 inches
- Blue Java (Ice Cream Banana) — Yes — creamy, vanilla/ice cream flavor
- Grand Nain — Yes — the standard commercial banana
- Red Dacca (Red Banana) — Yes — sweet with raspberry undertones, red/purple skin
- Lady Finger (Sugar Banana) — Yes — very sweet, thin-skinned, 4-5 inches
- Dwarf Namwah (Pisang Awak) — Yes — sweet when ripe, starchy when green (dual-purpose)
- Gros Michel — Yes — the original 'banana flavor', thick-skinned
- Goldfinger (FHIA-01) — Yes — apple-like flavor, good fresh or cooked
- Thousand Fingers — Yes — very small, sweet, thin-skinned
- Rajapuri — Yes — sweet, medium-sized
- Orinoco (Burro Banana) — Yes — cooking banana, tangy lemon flavor when ripe
- Ae Ae (Royal Hawaiian Variegated) — Yes — variegated skin, sweet
- Williams Hybrid — Yes — large, sweet, similar to Cavendish
- Manzano (Apple Banana) — Yes — short, chubby, apple-strawberry flavor
Ornamental Varieties
Grown primarily for their dramatic foliage:
- Musa Basjoo (Japanese Fiber Banana) — Technically yes, but not edible — small, seedy, tasteless
- Red Dacca (Red Banana) — Yes — sweet with raspberry undertones, red/purple skin
- Musa Zebrina (Blood Banana) — Yes but small, seedy, not edible
- Ensete Ventricosum (Ethiopian Banana / False Banana) — Not edible fruit — the corm and pseudostem are food sources in Ethiopia
- Thousand Fingers — Yes — very small, sweet, thin-skinned
- Musa Velutina (Pink Banana) — Yes — small, pink, ornamental; technically edible but very seedy
- Ae Ae (Royal Hawaiian Variegated) — Yes — variegated skin, sweet
Cold-Hardy Varieties
Can survive freezing winters with proper protection:
- Blue Java (Ice Cream Banana) — Cold hardiness: Moderate — tolerates brief dips to 20°F
- Musa Basjoo (Japanese Fiber Banana) — Cold hardiness: Yes — the hardiest banana, rhizome survives to -10°F or below
- Dwarf Namwah (Pisang Awak) — Cold hardiness: Moderate — handles brief dips to 25°F
- Goldfinger (FHIA-01) — Cold hardiness: Moderate — handles brief freezes
- Rajapuri — Cold hardiness: Moderate — handles brief freezes to 22°F
- Musa Velutina (Pink Banana) — Cold hardiness: Moderate — rhizome hardy to about 0°F with mulch
- Orinoco (Burro Banana) — Cold hardiness: Moderate — one of the hardier fruiting types
Not sure which to choose? Consider your climate zone, whether you want fruit for eating or cooking, and how much space you have (see How Big Do Banana Plants Get?).