Banana Plant Lifespan by Climate Zone

General question about how long banana plants live.

Lifespan depends entirely on climate and variety:

• Tropical zones (10+): Rhizomes persist indefinitely; continuous cycling of pseudostems.
• Subtropical (9–10): Most varieties survive with minor protection; rhizome lives many years.
• Temperate (7–8): Only cold-hardy species (Musa basjoo, M. sikkimensis, M. velutina) survive winter with heavy mulch; die back annually.
• Cold (≤6): Grown as container plants moved indoors, or as annuals. Rhizomes won't survive frozen ground.

Edible dessert bananas (AAA group) are strictly tropical. Ornamental/fiber types are hardier. At Illinois State University (Zone 5), bananas are grown in a "Crops of the World" garden but overwintered indoors.

Identify your variety and zone for accurate expectations.