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Bananas are very fast growing perennial herbs that originate from Southeast Asia. They form large underground roots and spread by suckers (new sprouts originating from the roots themselves). As a banana grows and produces flowers, new pups/suckers will pop up next to the parent plant to create new plants. This is because the parent plant will typically die after producing fruit. New plants are easily obtained by cutting away the new suckers.
Bananas need a lot of sun, warm rich soil and a lot of water. Never let them dry out. They make excellent ornamentals around swimming pools and back porches. Avoid planting them in windy locations otherwise the broad leaves will become tattered and broken. Bananas cannot tolerate any frost and don't do much in cool temperatures. If you live in the lower zones, consider planting bananas in large tubs which can be moved around and brought in during the winter months.
Ornamental bananas In the same Family as edibles, they often produce fruit which is unpalatable. These are some of the hardiest bananas, capable of freezing to the ground in Winter and regrowing the next Spring and Summer. Notables are:
Musa basjoo - Japanese Banana grows up to 15 ft tall and may grow to zones 2 and 3 with some protection. Leaves up to 8ft in length, produces flowers and inedible fruit.
Musa ensete or Ensete Ventricosum is commonly available in nurseries as an ornamental. It may grow to 15 ft with leaves up to 8ft originating from a central trunk arching over heavily creating a pleasant palm like structure.
May take a few years to bloom after which it dies to the ground.
Musa lasiocarpa - Grows up to 5-6 ft with exceptional, unusual inflorescence resembling a large artichoke.
Musa X paradisiaca - Probably the most commonly sold ornamental grows up to 20ft tall with showy pendant flower stalks and purple bracts when in bloom.
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Edible fruiting bananas Typically grouped botanically under Musa acuminata these include the commercial varieties and many dwarf varieties which are most suitable to home gardens. These still obtain heights of 7-15 ft. and produce mature fruit under best conditions 70-100 days after blooming. Look for:
'Dwarf Cavendish' - Supermarket variety
'Super Dwarf Cavendish' - very compact version sold as a houseplant
'Dwarf Brazilian'
'Enana Gigante'
'Goldfinger'
'Ice Cream' - Personal favorite
'Apple' - Supposed to smell of apples
Bloom is typically in Spring, with harvesting of fruit in late summer. To obtain the best quality fruit, allow only one or two stalks to bloom by removing other emerging stalks. After the flowers drop let new stalks emerge for next year's bloom (inflorescence). 
Remember to give bananas heat, water and lots of organic fertilizer! Helpful links
All about bananas and their growing conditions
Growing bananas in Phoenix Arizona
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