Tree · Annonaceae
Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
North America's largest native fruit, rich as custard and tasting of banana and mango, ripens on a tree few gardeners know.
Full sun
Every 5–7 days
USDA 5–8
15–30 ft · 4.6–9.1 m
Overview
The pawpaw is the largest fruit native to North America, and it is still hiding in plain sight from most gardens. It grows wild through the understory of eastern woods, running from the Gulf states clear up into Canada, and it swings a soft, green-skinned fruit whose custard flesh tastes of banana and mango at once.
Picture a small, slow tree that ripens its crop in the shade of taller trees out in the wild, then really cuts loose and fruits best once it hits full sun. Its flowers open an odd maroon in early spring ahead of the leaves and pull in flies and beetles instead of bees. That single quirk drives the whole harvest more than anything else does.
Plant a pawpaw and you sign on for a tree that asks for patience early and pays it back with a fruit no store will ever stock. It wants two unrelated trees to set a crop, steady moisture while it digs in, and a few years before it bears. After that it practically runs itself, and the payoff is worth every season of waiting.
Care
The short version: load it into deep, fertile, moisture-holding soil and keep the water steady while it establishes, throw some shade over it for the first year or two, then push it into full sun for the best fruit, and drop in a second unrelated tree so the flowers can cross-pollinate.
Light
Young pawpaws crave shade for their first year or two, matching the woodland understory where seedlings kick off. Once it settles in, the tree fruits best in full sun, though it will still grow and bear even in partial or full shade.
Water
Pawpaws chase deep, evenly moist soil that still drains, and they lean on regular watering through the first two years while the roots dig in. They soak up moist river-bottom ground with ease, but heavy or waterlogged soil that never dries out is a hard no.
Soil
Load them into deep, fertile, well-drained loam that holds moisture, tipped slightly acidic at a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Heavy clay and ground that stays soggy are the two things that stop them cold, so dodge both.
Temperature
Pawpaws take the cold like champs, hardy from about -20°F to 90°F (-29°C to 32°C), and they bank on a real winter chill to fruit well. Keep an eye out, because a hard late frost in early spring can still nip the flowers.
Humidity
They thrive on the moderate to high humidity of their native eastern range, roughly 50% to 80%, which rolls in on its own outdoors in those regions. No number to sweat over out in the garden.
Feeding
While a young tree digs in, feed a balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20 every couple of weeks from spring into early summer. Then back off as the tree matures and locks into steady growth.
Pruning
Pawpaws barely ask for the shears. In late winter or early spring, cut out dead, damaged, or crossing branches and shape the frame, then yank the root suckers so the tree does not bolt into a thicket.
Repotting
Not applicable; grown in the ground as a landscape or orchard tree, not as a container houseplant
Size & spacing
A grown pawpaw shoots up 15 to 30 feet (4.5 to 9 m) tall and spreads about as wide, so hand it the same 15 to 30 feet (4.5 to 9 m) of room. It spreads by suckers, so leave space for the colony it is itching to build.
When to plant
Pawpaws ride the rhythm of the temperate woods, so follow their lead. Plant containerized trees in spring as new growth kicks off, giving the brittle taproot the whole season to dig in, catch the maroon flowers opening in early to mid spring before the leaves, and pull the ripening fruit from late summer into fall.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Spring, during new growth, using containerized stock to protect the brittle taproot
- Harvest: Blooms early to mid spring before the leaves emerge; fruit ripens late summer to early fall (about August to October)
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 5–8
Temperature: down to -29°C
Troubleshooting
Here is the great part: pawpaws shrug off pests and disease, so most trouble traces back to pollination or a rough transplant instead of bugs. Match what you spot below and the cause usually pops right out. Jump on it early and the fix stays easy.
Loads of flowers open, but the fruit never shows
Chase this one straight to pollination, because that is where nearly every empty tree lands. Pawpaws run mostly self-incompatible, and bees skip the flowers entirely, so a single tree or two grafts of one cultivar hardly ever delivers. Plant two unrelated trees, then grab a brush and hand-pollinate on the days flies and beetles thin out.
Fix:
- Plant at least two different cultivars or unrelated seedlings; hand-pollinate flowers if natural fly and beetle activity is low
A fresh tree stalls out or gives up soon after planting
Get the roots right and this one rarely bites. The pawpaw drives down one long, fleshy, brittle taproot with almost no fine hairs, so it hates being dug and hauled around, and wild or bare-root plants tend to crash. Grab container-grown stock, plant it in spring as new growth fires up, and shade young seedlings for their first year or two while the roots dig in.
Fix:
- Use container-grown stock, transplant in spring during new growth, and shade young seedlings for the first one to two years
Flower stalks shrivel and drop before fruit ever forms
Pin this on the peduncle borer moth, whose larvae bore into the flower stalks and knock out the bloom before it can set. Good news travels fast here, because the hit stays light. Snip off the affected stalks, destroy them, and let the rest power on, since the tree's natural acetogenins keep it nearly pest-free the rest of the way.
Fix:
- Tolerate minor damage; remove and destroy affected flower stalks; trees are otherwise nearly pest-free due to natural acetogenins
Speckled leaves or a few bites out of fresh growth
Once in a while a pawpaw catches Phyllosticta leaf spot or flyspeck fungi, or zebra swallowtail larvae, Japanese beetles, or thrips take a few bites of the leaves. It always looks scarier than it plays out. The damage stays cosmetic and barely dents the crop, so skip the spray and let it ride, because the swallowtail caterpillars leave zero lasting harm.
Fix:
- Usually cosmetic and not harmful to yield; no treatment normally needed; zebra swallowtail larvae seldom cause permanent damage
Toxicity
Dig into the ripe, peeled flesh, because it is a genuine treat and safe for people, but leave the rest of the plant off the plate. The seeds and skin hold acetogenins that upset the stomach, and the leaves, twigs, and bark carry insecticidal compounds. No pet-toxicity data sits on file, so treat the seeds, skin, foliage, and prunings as a mild caution around animals and children.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Safe for
People
Cats Caution
No cat-specific data exists, so lean toward caution and move on. The seeds, skin, leaves, and twigs pack acetogenins that can upset the stomach, so head off a curious cat before it chews fallen fruit or prunings.
Dogs Caution
A dog that gulps seeds, skin, or chewed leaves can drool or turn queasy from the acetogenins. The ripe flesh runs mild, but everything else belongs well out of reach.
Horses Caution
No grazing data covers horses, so play it safe and keep them clear. The bitter leaves and twigs carry insecticidal compounds, so fence the tree off instead of offering a bite.
Rabbits Caution
Keep rabbits off the foliage, seeds, and skin, since the acetogenins can irritate the gut. A small taste of ripe pulp is the only part worth a thought, and even that only rarely.
Livestock Caution
Cattle, goats, and sheep skip the bitter leaves on their own, and that instinct earns its keep. Clear prunings and fallen seeds out of pastures to lock it in.
Birds Caution
Wild birds and mammals feast on the ripe fruit and scatter the seeds far and wide, but a pet bird should never swallow the seeds or skin. Hand over only a little ripe pulp, if any at all.
People Ripe flesh safe
Dig into the ripe, peeled flesh, because it is a custard-sweet treat and safe to eat. The seeds and skin, though, pack emetic acetogenins that turn the stomach, and handling the fruit hands some people a skin rash.
Wear gloves when harvesting if you are prone to skin irritation; do not eat or let pets or children chew the seeds, skin, leaves, or twigs.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Wild pawpaws swing wildly from tree to tree, so breeders have hunted down the best for size, flavor, and few seeds. Chase these named cultivars.
Shenandoah
This Peterson Pawpaws release delivers large, yellow-skinned fruit, butter-colored flesh, a mild sweet flavor, and few seeds for the size of the fruit.
Susquehanna
Another Peterson Pawpaws release that wins fans with very large fruit, thick flesh, few seeds, and a sweet, rich flavor.
Mango
A vigorous selection that pumps out round fruit with orange-yellow flesh.
Sunflower
A large, late-ripening pawpaw that sprang out of eastern Kansas.
How to propagate
Raise a pawpaw from seed if you have the patience, but graft it if you want a named cultivar to hold true to type.
SeedModerate
Growing from seed rewards patience, plain and simple. The seed demands 90 to 120 days of cold, moist stratification before it fires off a sprout, and the seedlings crawl at first. They also pop up genetically variable, so a seed-grown tree will not copy the parent cultivar, which keeps the whole thing interesting.
GraftingDemanding
Graft to lock a named cultivar in, because seed will not hold it true. Growers fuse a cutting of the chosen variety onto a seedling rootstock with whip-and-tongue, cleft, bark inlay, or chip budding, a skilled move that leans on sharp timing and a steady hand.
Myths
Pawpaws are pollinated by bees.
Skip the bees, because the flowers throw off a faint, fetid smell that sends them packing. Flies and beetles do the real work, hooked in by that odor, which is why a row of pawpaws stays quiet of buzzing even in full bloom.
One tree, or two of the same grafted cultivar, will give you a full crop.
One tree just will not cut it, since pawpaws run largely self-incompatible and a flower cannot take its own pollen or a clone's. You need two genetically different trees to pull a real harvest, meaning two seedlings or two separate cultivars, never two copies of the same one.
The whole fruit is safe to eat.
Go for the ripe pulp and nothing else. The seeds and skin carry acetogenins that turn your stomach, so scoop out the soft flesh and ditch the rest.