Hey,

Try looking up Musa Beccarii and you will get some info. I picked up a couple also from a store. From what I've read, they are not cold-hardy at all and will need made a houseplant for us in zone 8. In fact, I think they start dying back at 40 degrees.
I have mine potted and enjoying the nice weather but once that stops, I'll bring it in.

J

Beccarii would not be hardy in Zone 8. I'm in Zone 9, southwest coastal Louisiana, and I've been trying to grow it for 3 years. It begins to show signs of cold damage below 40. It died back to the ground the first two years and was one of the last plants to come out of dormancy. It has produced a flag leaf each of the last two years around the end of October but the cold eventually zaps it before the bloom emerges. This past winter was mild and I was able to protect it. I thought I would get blooms earlier but alas, no. It is still growing; no flag leaf yet and time is ticking away. I've seen one in bloom at Stokes Tropicals and the bloom is not that stunning. My favorite ornamental banana is Uranoscopus and it is far easier to grow and much more hardy.

Steve

Does anyone know how tall it gets? Does it produce edible fruit? I did find out that the flower color is red, but that's about it online.

Thanks,

Beccarii is an ornamental banana. Mine produced flag leaves at between 4 and 5 feet.

Steve

So no edible fruit? I'm in zone 8(b). Are there any musa's that will produce fruit in my area without being brought indoors in the winter?