I am not familiar with sunshine zones but if it overwintered there last year then you're set on location. I believe a happy and healthy plant is supposed to be 18 months of active growth to bloom. And in the field it's another 18 months from bloom to ripe fruit. Most people get interrupted by winter and have to pull the fruit and hope it ripens inside. Don't quote me on those times, in zone 6 blooms are difficult to accomplish outside. We grow for foliage. If you are seriously persuing fruit then removing pups can help the mother focus on her task. Otherwise just leave them and they will form a "mat". You can cut back or divide as you see fit but natural growth can give that natural jungle look.

Thank you for the reply. For now, it will stay put as cooler weather is coming on. As long as it has room to spread, I will leave it alone until next spring/summer, then research for further care, if it survives and/or doesn't interfere with anything.

We have a giant bird of paradise that has similar leaf structure, and it grows very well here. But I suspect banana might like a bit more heat than our ocean climate can give.

Thanks again.

Bejay

I'm in Camarillo, Sunset zone 24 and I grow bananas and get some fruit from them. We live on a hillside with good cold air drainage so we avoid frosts.

The pups should be removed to force the growth into the main trunk. Loosen the soil outside the pup, slice it away from the main bulb, and you have a new plant. Leave 1 to replace the old stalk when it dies back after fruiting.

Fruiting does take 18 to 24 months, and when the stalk sets out the fruit is critical. Sending out the flower after the middle of summer means the fruit may not ripen properly before the cold weather sets in. Blue plastic clothes or trash bags are used to cover the fruit stalk to increase temperatures to help ripen the fruit stalk.

The best results I have had are with dwarf varieties as these seem to grow and produce quicker than larger types. I have had good luck with 'Enano gigante' (Mexican Dwarf), 'Goldfinger', 'Valery', Dwarf Cavendish. 'Nam Wah' and 'Glui Nam Wah' produced fruit, but where cut down by gophers when they were fruiting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardening Coaches website