Description
Are you dreaming of a plant that turns your backyards and lawns into a lush tropical paradise? The Paw Paw tree is the perfect match. It is a deciduous tree or shrub with beauty, benefits, and, not to forget, tasty, delicious Paw Paw fruit.
It is widely cherished in its native surroundings for its unique fruit, consisting of flavors similar to banana, mango, and melon. They are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants and have a short shelf life, which makes them less common in grocery stores than other North American fruits.
They are natural growers and cater to minimal care and attention. Perfect for edible landscapes, shade gardens, understory plantings, and home gardens, these nature-friendly natives are a must-have.
Want to know more about the tree? Let’s explore its varieties, care guide, benefits, and more.
Botanical Insights into Pawpaw Trees
Paw Paw trees are commonly known as the Pawpaw plant, the Banana-custard tree, Native Pawpaw, Poor Man’s Banana, and Common Pawpaw. They are native to North America, especially in the temperate climates of the eastern United States.
Let us quickly rifle through its botanical background to understand its position and value in the plant world.
| Botanical Name | Asimina triloba |
| Plant Type | Deciduous understory tree |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Clade | Tracheophytes |
| Clade | Angiosperms |
| Clade | Magnoliids |
| Order | Magnoliales |
| Family | Annonaceae |
| Genus | Asimina |
| Species | A. triloba |
This species is the largest edible fruit-bearing member of its family. It is a natural heritage and has grown in America for thousands of years, making the Pawpaw tree America’s best-kept secret.
Why Grow a Pawpaw Tree? Notable Traits & Advantages
Paw Paws plant is beyond just yummy fruits. It adds a certain tropical essence to your monotonous gardens and brightens the landscapes with a year-round display of interest.
Take a look at some notable features and benefits of this genus.
- Lush Foliage and Unique Fruits: It features large, oblong leaves with smooth edges and a unique harvest with a custard-like texture and mixed flavors.
- Seasonal Variation: They begin to bloom crimson-colored blooms in the spring, which begin to fall in summer, allowing the fruits to show up. With the arrival of fall, leaves begin to turn yellow and fall, signaling the time for the plant to nap.
- Pollination Friendly: The flowers are a hub for small birds and insects like bees, beetles, and flies. These Paw Paw fruit trees are a host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly.
- Nutritional Benefits: Loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and high fiber content, it is used to boost immunity, digestion, and overall health.
- Cold-Hardy & Low Maintenance: Despite being native to tropical regions, it can thrive well in temperate climates and survives extreme winters with grace.
With a blend of beauty, resilience, and delicious produce, it is truly a must-have plant for every garden.
Popular Varieties of Paw Paw Fruit Tree
These multifaceted, delicious yields come in many varieties, each carrying its own ripening span, growth habits, fruit size, flavor, and yield. Take a look at some of the most popular varieties of Asimina triloba.
- A. triloba ‘Allegheny’: It is an early-ripening cultivar with rich, sweet fruits with a citrusy essence.
- A. triloba ‘Mango’: Enriched with wholesome mango-like flavor, it is an early-ripening cultivar with large yields and size.
- A. triloba ‘Sunflower’: The sole cultivar praised for being self-fertile and yielding medium-sized, low-seeded fruits. They are mostly used for baking and canning.
- A. triloba ‘Wells’: Wells are popular for producing medium- to large-sized yellowish-orange fruits with a banana-like flavor.
- A. triloba ‘Wabash’: It is known for its large yields, rich texture, and creamy flavor. These mango-like fruits are commonly eaten in fresh form.
Apart from these handful of picks, there are many more cultivars like Pennsylvania Golden, Potomac, Susquehanna, and more. But you should be sure to buy Pawpaw trees of two or more varieties to ensure cross-pollination.
How to Grow and Care for a Paw Paw Plant?
Though not very common, these American secret fruits are very hardy and resilient and do not require much attention to thrive. Have a look at how to care for the Paw Paw tree fruits to ensure recurring yields.
| Hardiness | 5-8 USDA |
| Growth Rate | Initially slow, but a full-grown Paw Paw tree produces fruit rapidly. |
| Fruiting | 2-6 years after planting |
| Mature Size | 15-25 feet tall and 15 feet wide. |
| Sunlight | Young trees require partial shade, but an established tree produces maximum fruit under full sunlight. |
| Water | Newly planted trees need consistent watering, but mature trees should be watered only when 1-2 inches of the soil seems dry. |
| Soil | Moist, well-draining soils with a slightly acidic nature. |
| Fertilizers | Feed with a well-balanced fertilizer (20-10-10 ratio) twice each year. |
| Pruning | Occasional pruning in the late winter or early spring. |
| Pest & Diseases | Problems: Talponia moth, powdery mildew, yellowing leaves, or lack of produce.
Fixes: Copper-based fungicides, insecticidal soaps, or neem oil. |
The simplest way to propagate your own lineage of A. triloba trees is through seeds, or else you can purchase Paw Paw trees for sale in your neighborhood nurseries.
User Reviews & Ratings
Giana Frankfurt: My grandmother planted these Paw trees from seeds 10 years ago, and now they’re mature and produce huge fruits.
Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Danny Gabriel: Emerging flowers on the Triloba trees mean it’s time to get ready for a yummy harvest in a couple of months.
Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Aliena Muskerz: I planted a Paw plant from seeds a few months back during the fall, and I am happy to see it thriving.
Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
John Daniel: Finally harvested my Pawpaw fruits. They are so delicious and well-ripened.
Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why are the Pawpaws so uncommon?
They are uncommon in markets and grocery stores due to their short shelf life.
Is the A. triloba plant toxic?
All the parts other than the fruit, like skin, seeds, leaves, and stems, are inedible and mildly toxic to humans and pets.
Are Papaya and Pawpaw the same?
Many people of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa refer to Carica papaya as Pawpaw, but they are different fruits with distinct tastes and features.
When do the trees begin to yield fruit?
If planted from seeds – After 3-8 years
On grafting – After 3-4 years