Pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba): native range, fruit and how to grow it

At a glance

What is a pawpaw tree?

Pawpaw is a small understory tree of moist, nutrient-rich forests. It sends up root suckers that form thickets ("pawpaw patches"). The National Park Service and Kentucky State University both describe it as the largest edible fruit native to North America. It belongs to the custard-apple family (Annonaceae), a mostly tropical family; the NPS calls it the only local member of that family in the Washington, D.C. area.

Pawpaw is not papaya. Per Kentucky State University, "pawpaw" is also a common name for papaya (Carica papaya), a tropical fruit in a different family. The North American pawpaw is unrelated, cold-hardy and native.

What a pawpaw tree looks like

• Leaves: large, 6–12 inches long, smooth-edged and widest beyond the middle (obovate), hanging in two ranks from the stem. They smell like green bell pepper when crushed, per NC State Extension, and turn yellow in fall. The Morton Arboretum notes they resemble magnolia leaves.
• Flowers: maroon to purplish-brown, six-petaled, about 1–1.5 inches across, nodding from the branches in spring before or as the leaves emerge. They have a faint fermented or foul odor that attracts fly pollinators.
• Fruit: oblong, about 2.5–6 inches long, borne singly or in clusters. The skin ranges from green to yellow when ripe and may develop dark flecks. Inside is soft yellow to orange custard flesh with large brown seeds.
• Bark and form: smooth gray-brown bark with wart-like lenticels; pyramidal in sun, often several stems together in a patch.

Look-alikes

Where pawpaw trees grow

Pawpaw is native to 26 states, per Kentucky State University: from northern Florida north to southern Ontario and as far west as eastern Nebraska. The Morton Arboretum and Kentucky State list it for USDA zones 5–8, and NC State Extension extends that into zone 9.

In the wild it grows as an understory tree in moist, rich forests and along streams. Kentucky State's planting guide says it needs warm to hot summers, mild to cold winters and at least 32 inches of rain spread through the year, and that trees planted too close to the Gulf Coast may not get enough winter chilling. Very dry, heavy or waterlogged soils are a poor fit.

Pawpaw fruit: season, taste and how to eat it

When is pawpaw season? In Kentucky, Kentucky State University gives the harvest season as late August to mid-October. Early cultivars such as 'PA-Golden' ripen in late August there, while others ripen into October farther north.

What it tastes like: the flesh is creamy and custard-like. Kentucky State describes the flavor as a blend of tropical fruits, most often banana with mango, pineapple or melon, and notes wild trees vary from awful to excellent. Named cultivars are more consistent.

How to tell it's ripe: a ripe pawpaw gives when squeezed gently, like a ripe peach, usually has a strong fruity aroma, and comes off with a gentle tug. Color change is not a reliable sign.

How to eat it: cut the fruit in half and scoop the flesh out with a spoon, discarding the skin and the large seeds. NC State Extension warns that eating the skin or seeds can cause stomach and intestinal pain, that some people get stomach or skin irritation from the fruit, and that handling it can cause contact dermatitis, so try a small amount first and wear gloves to harvest. Pureed pulp, with skin and seeds removed, freezes well.

Why you won't find it in stores: per Kentucky State, fully ripe pawpaws last only a few days at room temperature and about a week in the refrigerator. Look for fruit at farmers' markets in areas where pawpaws are common, or grow your own.

Pollination: why you need two pawpaw trees

Pawpaw flowers are protogynous: the stigma ripens and stops being receptive before the same flower sheds pollen. Pawpaw trees are also self-incompatible. Kentucky State University says to plant at least two different cultivars or seedlings, and notes that two grafted trees of the same cultivar won't cross-pollinate. Root suckers from one patch are the same clone, so they don't count as different trees.

Flies and beetles pollinate pawpaws, and Kentucky State's planting guide calls them inefficient and undependable. Growers raise yields by hand-pollinating: with a small artist's brush, collect pollen from a flower whose anther ball is brown and crumbly, then dab it onto a flower of a different clone whose pistil tips are green and glossy while its anther ball is still hard and green.

Pawpaw cultivars

Grafted named cultivars bear sooner and produce more predictable fruit than seedlings. Cultivars listed by Kentucky State University include:

Any two different cultivars that bloom at the same time can pollinate each other. If you plant seedlings, buy them from different sources to make sure they aren't clones. Kentucky State suggests choosing cultivars selected in a climate similar to yours.

How to grow a pawpaw tree

Site and light

Pawpaws are unusual among fruit trees: seedlings need shade, while fruiting trees want sun. Kentucky State University's planting guide says germinating seedlings are extremely sensitive to full sun, which can kill them, so outdoor shading is normally needed the first year and sometimes the second. Yields are best in open exposure with some protection from wind, which tears the large leaves.

Planting

1. Buy container-grown trees. Pawpaws have a long taproot and fleshy, brittle roots with few fine root hairs, so Kentucky State notes container-grown trees establish better than field-dug ones.
2. Plant in spring, when new growth begins or soon after, at the depth the tree grew in its pot. Disturb the root ball as little as possible.
3. Space trees about 8 feet apart, as the planting guide recommends. Grouping helps pollination.
4. Water deeply and mulch 2–3 inches, keeping mulch off the trunk. Temporary partial shade reduces transplant shock.

Water, fertilizer and pruning

• Water: Kentucky State stresses adequate soil moisture, especially in the first two years. Water young trees through dry weather (see watering newly planted trees); the Morton Arboretum rates pawpaw as drought-sensitive.
• Fertilizer: the planting guide notes a balanced fertilizer every few weeks in the first half of the growing season may help young trees establish. Don't overload a heavy crop on the tree either; thinning avoids small fruit and broken limbs.
• Pruning: little is needed. Remove dead or crossing branches in late winter. Remove suckers if you want a single-trunk tree, or let them grow into a patch (see removing tree suckers).
• Patience: growth is slow for the first two years while the root system develops, then speeds up.

How to grow pawpaw from seed

Pawpaw seeds are slow to germinate but not difficult, per Kentucky State University's planting guide, if you never let them dry out or freeze.

1. Clean fresh seeds and keep them moist. Kentucky State notes seeds dried for 3 days at room temperature can drop below 20% germination.
2. Cold-stratify them for 70–100 days: store the cleaned seed in a zip-top bag with a little moist sphagnum moss in the refrigerator at 32–40°F. The general method is covered in the cold stratification guide. Alternatively, sow in late fall and let the seed overwinter outdoors; it will germinate the following late July to August.
3. Sow 1 inch deep in tall containers (tree pots 14–18 inches tall or root trainers) in a well-aerated mix at 75–85°F. Seeds germinate in 2–3 weeks, but the shoot takes about 2 months to appear because the root grows first.
4. Shade the seedlings outdoors through their first summer and keep them evenly moist.
5. Transplant carefully without breaking the taproot. Kentucky State says trees usually begin bearing when saplings reach about 6 feet, typically in 5–8 years (its FAQ gives 4–8).

Pests and problems

Pawpaws have few serious pests in their native range, per Kentucky State University. The common issues:

• No fruit: usually a single clone or poor pollination. Add a second cultivar and hand-pollinate.
• Scorched leaves or dying seedlings: too much sun too early, or drought. Provide shade for the first season or two and water consistently. Related bark injury is covered in sunscald on trees.
• Pawpaw peduncle borer (Talponia plummeriana): Kentucky State calls it the worst pest. The small moth larva burrows into the flowers, causing them to wither and drop, and in some years it destroys most of the blossoms.
• Zebra swallowtail caterpillars: they feed on young pawpaw leaves but, per NC State Extension, seldom do permanent damage or affect fruit yield, so let them be.
• Black patches on fruit: hard black patches on the skin are a fungus infection that seldom affects flavor or edibility.
• Deer: Kentucky State says deer won't eat pawpaw leaves or twigs, but they eat fallen fruit, and bucks sometimes rub trunks with their antlers in winter.

Common mistakes

Frequently asked

Where do pawpaw trees grow?

Pawpaw is native to 26 states in the eastern US, from northern Florida to southern Ontario and west to eastern Nebraska, according to Kentucky State University. It grows wild as an understory tree in moist, rich forests. Planted trees do well in roughly USDA zones 5–8 with warm summers and moist, well-drained soil.

What does a pawpaw taste like?

Ripe pawpaw has a creamy, custard-like texture and a tropical flavor, most often described as banana combined with mango, pineapple or melon. Flavor varies a lot between wild trees, and named cultivars are more consistent. Eat the flesh and discard the skin and seeds.

Is pawpaw the same as papaya?

No. "Pawpaw" is also a common name for papaya, a tropical fruit, but the North American pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a different, cold-hardy native tree in the custard-apple family. The fruits are very different, and pawpaw grows outdoors in about zones 5–8.

How fast do pawpaw trees grow?

Slowly at first: Kentucky State University says growth is slow for the first two years while the root system establishes, then accelerates. Grafted trees can flower 2–3 years after planting and may fruit in as few as 3 years; seedlings take about 4–8 years.

How big do pawpaw trees get?

The Morton Arboretum gives 15–20 feet tall and wide for a typical tree, and Kentucky State University says it is seldom taller than 25 feet; NC State lists up to 30 feet. In full sun it develops a narrow pyramidal shape, and root suckers spread it into a patch unless removed.

Where can I buy pawpaw fruit?

Because ripe pawpaws last only a few days at room temperature, they rarely reach grocery stores. Kentucky State University suggests asking at local farmers' markets in areas where pawpaws are abundant, from late August into October.

Do you need two pawpaw trees to get fruit?

Yes. Pawpaws are generally self-incompatible, so you need a second, genetically different tree nearby: two different cultivars or two seedlings. Two grafted trees of the same cultivar, or suckers from one wild patch, won't cross-pollinate.

Sources

1. Frequently Asked Questions About Pawpaw, Kentucky State University
2. Pawpaw Planting Guide, Kentucky State University
3. Pawpaw Description and Nutritional Information, Kentucky State University
4. Pawpaw Cultivars and Grafted Tree Sources, Kentucky State University
5. Asimina triloba (pawpaw), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
6. Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), The Morton Arboretum
7. Pawpaw: Small Tree, Big Impact, National Park Service
8. Pawpaw Production Guide, Alabama Cooperative Extension System

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