Bananas in 9B NorCal: Variety Inquiry

[zephian]

Hello everyone,
Just wondering what kind of bananas would do well in my area from other peoples experiences. I have an unknown variety that flowers but doesn't produce. It's also about 15ft tall... I plan on ripping these out and replacing them with some quicker producing bananas to give them a try. They will be planted near my Stucco wall for some extra warmth. Currently my really tall bananas get a bit of damage from the wind as they are taller than my house but mostly protected by the house/fence. In winter the leaves die back but regrow quickly in spring.

TL;DR which bananas would you recommend I try in norcal, 9B? I want to try tastier varieties, as well as some easier to grow types.
I'm somewhat interested in the varieties below, but what's your opinion?
-Hua Moa - Sounds like it grows fast.
-Namwah - Sounds tasty
-dwarf cavandish - Tried and true. Sounds like an easy variety.
-ice cream banana - Novelty, I'm sure but sounds fun to try.

Thanks!

[DSotM]

Dwarf namwah and gold finger should both be good for 9b

[zephian]

Oh, I forgot about the Gold finger, that's FHIA-01 right?


Thanks for the input!

[Brebarian]

Yep, Gold Finger is FHIA-01. I'm growing it in coastal 9B/10A and it does very well. It seems to thrive on neglect, has delicious bananas and never needs supporting. I'm planning on adding dwarf namwah and dwarf brazilian next year.

Check out http://webebananas.com/culture.html. At the very bottom of that webpage is Joe Real's cold-hardy list for reference. California Gold is regarded as the most cold-hardy edible banana, so I believe the list is accurate.

I would also head over to www.bananas.org and search there. There's an entire sub-forum dedicated to cold-hardy bananas, both edible and ornamental.

[zephian]

Awesome, thanks for the replies.

When is usually the best time to get pups? Early spring? Mine seem to spread like weeds all year...