delenda, I am going to try to steer this discussion back on track for you.
I have only come across 1 fellow in my many years of growing bananas that could produce digital pics of his Dwarf Cavendish producing fruit in a container (and I can't seem to find the pics). What he told me is that it will fruit regularly at 4ft of trunk in a container and give about 20lb's of fruit. I now have one of his pups at my house. He also grows Grand Nain, which he said he likes better because it would give a few more hands (this in a container too fruiting at I think he said 6ft). And Ice Cream which he said would flower at 8ft in a container. This was in south florida so it wasen't what he couldn't grow them in the ground, he just liked to have them around the pool deck where they were protected from the wind and were pleasing to look at.
You will need a container that is at least 20 true gallons and have to keep the pups cut out. I am working on this same project right now. Trying to grow Dwarf Cavendish and Mauritius in containers. I am just a bit too cold in winter to leave a Cavendish out and expect it to come back with any reliability.
There is also a hydroponic store in San Franciso which has a Dwarf Cavendish growing in a clay pebble hydroponic sytem that fruits regularly. I personally saw fruit hanging on it on one visit but I didn't have my camera with me. But, below is a pic of it at a later time after they had harvested and the next pup was at about fruiting size. It was no more that 4ft trunk when I saw it with fruit on it.
bananalover - I'm not sure the trouble you are having understanding what the California Gold is all about??
That plant has probably been discussed more than any other here and all over the net. JoeReal had posted the whole "story" as it was writin by Jeff and others have trown there 2 cents in as well. Maybe you should request that the moderator create a forumn just for California Gold Discussion?
Mike