The English name is simply "banana". Musa is the genus that contains edible species of banana-like Cavendish (the common supermarket banana), Red Banana (known for its reddish skin), or Plantain (used for cooking). The term "Musa" is derived from the mediaeval Arabic word for banana.

Many types of Musa bananas are edible, but Musa plants grown in the UK won’t produce fruit as a rule because they’re tropical plants. If you live in a relatively mild part of the UK like Cornwall, your outdoor Musa banana plant may produce flowers during particularly hot summers. When grown in a conservatory or greenhouse, they may produce small fruits–although they won’t be anywhere near the size of supermarket bananas and may be inedible.

Grown outdoors, a Musa banana plant can live for ten years or more, provided that it’s cared for properly. The most important thing is protecting them from getting too wet in the winter, either by wrapping them with insulating fleece or moving them indoors before the first frost. Once wet rot sets in, there is no saving your banana plants.