I have a picture of one taken about 35 years ago at Longwood Gardens. My picture appears in the book, Tropica. On page 668, there is a picture of my father next to Ensete 'Montbellardii.'

Although I have no experience growing 'Montbeliardii', I know from experience that 'Maurelii' can be grown to look like 'Montbeliardii' by treating it with the plant hormone, gibberellic acid.

i havent grown it but if you go to the kobakoba web site it will tell you all about it . it is thought that the origional form was lost i think this is a tissue culture sport that is supposed to be identical to the original i am thinking of getting one but i am fast running out of room i need a bigger garden
yours
steve

Here is a link that might be useful: kobakoba

That kobakoba site site incorrectly states that Alfred Byrd Graph was the photgrapher of the image in Tropica. Since they also said this is the only known photograph of Montbeliardii in cultivation, I will hereby prove that I am indeed the photographer of that image.
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I took this in 1974 when my father and I were on a road trip to Pennsylvania. For my father, the only goal of this trip was to buy apple pies at an Amish farmer's market. As you see him here, he was eager to leave and buy pies. Little did my father, who died in 1976, suspect that he was being immortalized.

That's a nice story, and I hope he got his pies! I also hope you contacted KobaKoba to put them straight over the photo.

With regard to 'Maurelii' and gibberellic acid, at what stage would you treat the plant? Thanks.

"With regard to 'Maurelii' and gibberellic acid, at what stage would you treat the plant?"

The stage doesn't matter. GA increases the length of the petioles comprising the pseudostem and the length of the leaves, but it only influences new growth. You want to apply treatment gradually and continuously so you don't suddenly get one new leaf bolting high above the others because, without the support of the surrounding petioles, the wind will easily blow it over. The easiest way to apply GA to a banana plant is to pour about an ounce of solution into the opening at the top of a leaf furl that is just beginning to open. GA is quickly translocated within the plant. It will take effect in about one week after application. Reapplication should be made at intervals less than one month. I am sorry, but I don't remember the proper concentration, but a good starting point for trial and error work would be 50 ppm.

i really do think i may have to invest in one i have never seen another photo of a mature one i have only seen a plant about 18 " high and one other about 6 foot it looks fantastic when larger and i think it would fit somewhere it has too
thanks for sharing your photo