Originally Posted by venturabananas

In Southern California, 2-3 years from TC is good, from my experience and what I've heard and seen from others. In fact, that's what I'd expect from plants started from pups, too. In good conditions (e.g., not too close to other plants). Without a greenhouse, you can't expect tropical rates of growth in our climate. Most varieties grow extremely slowly, if at all, during our winters, especially those with all A genomes like the Cavendish varieties.

Don't expect estimates of time to flower from plants grown in different climates to apply to yours. And don't even expect relative differences among cultivars to apply, because different genes can respond to climates differently. But experiment and tell us which do best for you.

Of course, PR-G makes good points about all the kinds of things that can affect growth. I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who gets bananas to fruit faster or make bigger bunches, regardless of climate.