PlantFiles: Pawpaw
Asimina triloba

We have one pawpaw purchased as a 2 foot seedling that's been completely neglected. It continues to grow and do well in a shady area and is now 7 feet tall, but we've never had any flowers. A second seedling of a different variety died. I realize we need a second pawpaw for cross pollination if we want fruit, but is it worth purchasing one if our current more mature pawpaw never flowers anyway? These small seedlings were $200 each about 8 years ago.

In nature, this tree is usually found in thickets, very nice to walk through with all the big dangling leaves (for identification -- they grow alternately on the stem, and are narrower on the end where they attach). It's an understory tree so is shade tolerant, and it doesn't get that tall, maybe 25 feet at the most(?). It seems to take quite a while to get big enough to flower/fruit. There are several cultivars available and it is good to get a few different ones for cross-pollination.

I have heard of the tree, seen it in NorthEast Al. region. I've a what appears like that of pawpaw in my back yard, but haven't had it positively identified. I ordered two of these bareroot tree from mail-or-nursery. They sent me two 4' long trees with long taproot but no feeder rootlets? I potted them in big pots, kept water well, and they have not shown any sign of breaking dormancy?

Pawpaw Asimina triloba is native to Texas and other States.

Pawpaws are native to this region though not common. They are generally found in rich deciduous forests. I find the fruit not nearly as good as described in the literature.

Locally this plant loves moist, wooded river bottoms, where it can be found in abundance. It seems to prefer rich, loamy soil, and lots of water.

Flowers in spring are followed by fruit in mid to late autumn, the first teen weekend in October here in Ohio. The fruit is harvested when it begins to drop from the trees. Some folks claim they taste best after the first frost, but by my experience they've all been eaten by animals by that time. To me the flavor is reminiscent of an overly-ripe banana. The texture is similar to custard, but look out for the big bean-shaped seeds. I prefer to peel my pawpaws, because the skin is tough, and not particularly nice-tasting. The first wild paw paw is always delicious. By the time I'm into my second one, I remember why it is I only like to eat one paw paw (to me, as I eat more they grow increasingly bitter and musky flavored.) I cannot eat three in one sitting.

As others have mentioned, the leaves are very large, and these understory trees top out at twenty feet or so, with gangly trunks at max eight to ten inches in circumference. The foliage gives off a musky scent when bruised. Plant two for cross-pollination.

The named cultivars claim better flavor. I haven't tried any of them, but where one grows, all will grow.

If you have an area of your yard that's low, and shaded, and want tropical-looking foliage every summer, and racoons and deer in the autumn, plant a paw paw patch.

This species is found in the central Panhandle of Florida, but doesn't usually extend into the peninsula.

We grow this tree in Z5

Our neighbor has several Pawpaw trees on her property and she dug several suckers a few years ago and brought them to us to plant. However, although they had some root system, they obviously didn't have enough and died very soon thereafter - even with care.

After reading the information above, perhaps we'll try again next year but either from a nursery, or by making sure there is a better root system in place and doing what Hogwaump describes.

In "The Southern Gardener's Book of Lists", the Pawpaw tree is listed as a host plant for the Zebra swallowtail butterfly.

Pawpaws are difficult to transplant form the wild, but it can be accomplished. Follow the roots as far as is possible - I like to get at least 2 feet on either side of the plant. Use moisture crystals and sphagnum in the planting mix and remove all leaves.

Can be propagated from root cuttings, but they must be larger than 1/2" diameter and about 1' long, harvested in winter while tree is dormant.

Can be propagated from cuttings, but only cuttings of very young suckers will form roots.

Easily grown in average, medium wet to wet, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers moist, acidic, fertile soils. Will grow in shade but becomes leggy.

USDA Z5 ; it's an easy to grow ornamental tree with a tropical appearance. It has interesting flowers that are up to two inches across and produces delicious fruit that tastes like a cross between bananas and vanilla custard . It has a vitamin content that rivals citrus .Paw paws are typically small trees ( 25 feet tall or less ). Several trees should be planted as most are self-infertile.