Well it seems banana takes anywhere from 1.5 -maybe even 3 years for the first bananas to bear fruit. This also depends on how big your banana plant that you got is. Small tissue culture plants takes longer, maybe a year to establish it self then another year or two to blossom and fruit. But if your plant was a larger pup/corm that you got, then the following spring if it's early, but more likely June(summer) and have fruit ready by fall-winter. This also depend how you take care of it too ie fertilizer,watering, how many pups you let grow per season, etc. Ripening time from flower to fruit is any where from 2-6+ months depend what kind of banana you get. The fasted time from flower to ripen fruit that I heard of is musa veinte cohol(only 2 months for fruit ripening from first flower to ready fruits). This variety isn't a dwarf though 12'-15'. Fruits are a dessert type with small little plump finger size banana that is sweet. Realistically for fruit next season get the biggest plant you can afford. Check out this site (Bananas.org) and also ask your question there, that 's the place banana enthusiast are congregating at for anything about nananers. Here is a link that might be useful: veinte cohol

I'm so glad I saw this discussion. I just got two DC and two SDC in the past few days. I've had them temporarily under edge of shade tree where they get bright filtered afternoon sun. I'm trying to figure out where to put them for "regular" location. They will always remain in pots because of 1) protection from my GIANT dogs, 2) our famous rocky soil here on the hill and, 3) I have heated greenhouse space for them in winter. Now... just what would be considered half shade or partial shade? How much direct, really full Texas sun can they tolerate and at what time of day? My basjoos, tropical(most but not all) and hardy Hibiscus, and gardenias all do well in blazing sun for most of day although the gardenias do better near the misters on my deck which I run all afternoon and on very hot nights. Thanks, geekgranny

I've got the Williams bloom at perfect time this late spring, so it is going to have mature properly filled banana fruits this October. Texas star actually bloomed first, but I am beginning to think that what I got is not Texas Star but a lousy ornamental banana from the looks of the fruits. My California Gold is now starting to open up its bloom, I think it is late, but I hope it would catch up. With all the heat wave we're having, and a record hottest July to boot, the blooms and growth are delayed on the Ca Gold. I hope it will make it to have harvestable fruits.

JOereal, you said "In Hawaii, the Williams are planted at a much higher elevation than the cavendishes This really adds to the confusion, they ARE cavendishs! Presumably this means higher than Valery/Robusta or one of the other Cav strains they grow there. I've spoken about this to the banana experts in QLD and NSW state governemnts, and they've both said that all the cav types are essentially the same thing with mutations creating the differences we see. If you've got a Williams that handles cold better than other Cavendish types, then you're on to a winner. It may be a mutation for cold tolerance, if it has been in N Ca for a while. Also of course, your long hot summer helps a lot in keeping bananas alive for a shorter winter, even if quite cold at the time. Paul, you want somethign as short as possible, as bananas tend to grow at least 30% taller under cover than outside because of better growing conditions, and as bananas are naturally taller in colder climates (ie true subtropical) than in warmer ones (ie equatorial/ warm tropical) due to the increased number of leaves they develop in colder sites. Dwarf Cav types have the advantage of short stature and big bunches. Other dwarfs like Orinoco, rajapuri etc are certainly more cold tolerant, but in my opinion inferior as regards taste, and certainly have smaller bunches. Possibly in UK though you might go for these beacuse of their cold tolerance. D. Orinoco is very cold tolerant in California, but also need that Ca. heat to perform. They are not good here in my cooler summers (daytimes usually below 30C). It will depend on just how cold and hot it gets inside your greenhouse.