At our house we use the leaves when cooking so we prefer they not be shredded. I think it makes not difference to the plant.
Don't know the variety but it only fruits in some years and not in others.
Try researching Rajapuri/Raja Puri, supposed to survive to zone 8 so may need to be over-wintered indoors; leaves are less likely to shred.
Musa velutina - is an ornamental banana plant that can fruit if you have (I think) 20 good growing weeks availble. The fruit is full of big seeds but is tasty. There is an ATP member living in Florida who occasionally has seeds for this one.
Look up the dwarf type of Orinoco, also "Ice Cream" aka blue Java, and maybe Goldfinger - which is not as sweet as a grocery store banana, but what the heck, it would be free if grown in the back garden.
Georgia has been doing trials to see if they can develop a viable banana industry in the state. Armstrong Atlantic (Savannah) and UGA at Tifton had success for 3 years with Veinte Cohol.
We are a warmer climate here than the OP in northern Alabama, so I would recommend kmtmimi to follow the research going on at Auburn where two of 13 varieties being trialed are showing promise. See this link:
https://shooflyfarmblog.wordpr...
My best suggestion would be to try to buy a 'dwarf' variety, suitable for a cooler zone, but as insurance keep the banana plant in a large pot and be prepared to bring it indoors to keep it safe during the cold months...unless the grower has a beautifully heated greenhouse, at least until our universities finish their trials and tell us which one or two varieties will do well in our respective zones.
