My experience is limited but I will share what I have. First off I started working with Banana last year. I picked up a Musa Basjoo and a Musa Allysium last year. Honestly I'm starting to think I have a bad area in the yard. The only plants I've lost have been in that one spot. I lost the Alyssium, and thought the Basjoo was gone from the drought last year. I also lost a Washington Robusta in the same area. But the Basjoo did come back this spring with no measures for overwintering, honestly I thought it was lost. I dug it up, split the main plant from the pup I saw and planted the main plant in a different location. It's now about 2.5 ft tall and the pups, yes multiple, I planted in a pot with very rich soil on my deck. Those are now about a foot tall. I also picked up an Ice cream banana this year, it's doing quite well. All the bananas are putting on the leaf a week rule of thumb for a healthy plant. I've also got a dwarf Cavindish in the house in a pot. It's also doing the leaf a week thing and is now up to about 2.5 ft from a 6 inch pup when I got it in May. I plan to overwinter in the yard for my outside bananas this winter, using a pre-formed tomato basket and some extra mulch. The DC will remain indoors this year and I plan to move it out, in a larger pot this spring. I've also got some citrus as well I plan to handle the same as the DC. Like I said I started from scratch and have NO experience with these guys. But I'm barely in Z8 according to the most recent maps I have seen. I'm normally a slight bit warmer than Charlotte. Hope this info helps and best of luck with them!! :-)

Look for micro-minis. The tallest of these I've found grow to only about 15", and many stay in the 6" to 12" range. Nor'East Miniature Roses and John's Miniature Roses both have a fair selection of micros online. I've not ordered from John's, but I have gotten a good many minis from Nor'East. Here is a link that might be useful: Nor'East Miniature Roses

I'm familiar with Redding's climate. you can grow most of the drought resistant native sages and a number of the Mexican ones too, but mulch for moisture in summer and mulch for warmth in winter. Natives: Salvia apiana, Salvia clevelandii, Salvia dorrii, Salvia greatae, Salvia leucophylla, Salvia mellifera, Salvia mohavensis, Salvia munzii, Salvia pachyphylla, Salvia sonomensis, Salvia spathacea, Salvia vaseyi, Some will die if given water in the summer heat, like S. pachyphylla, mohavensis, greatae and vaseyi, and some of those are hard to find in nurseries. Others: S. Leucantha, S. microphylla, S. aurea, S. chiapensis, S. jamenisis, S. chamaedryoides, S. arizonica, and S. hispanica.

Most any beefsteak variety should produce well for you IF planted at the proper times for growing in your local climate. Because of the heat and humidity and the condition called blossom drop (see the FAQ here) that they cause, fruit set is all a matter of timing. For most Florida growers those proper planting times are very different than for many of us - check out some of the discussions linked below - so you may wish to consult your local county extension office to find out exactly when you should be planting. ;) In northern Florida, some growers say NOW is the time to plant and that using the large early varieties can improve your odds. Other maintain that your very early spring will be the best planting time. Either way, you have to get them to a productive/blooming stage before the heat and humidity come on in your area. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Growing tomatoes in Florida