I planted a Mango and Pennsylvania Golden from Starks in the fall of 2010. I shaded them using tomato cages with garbage bags stapled to them to provide shade for the young PawPaws because my research indicated direct sun sensitivity for trees less than 2 years old. I watered them through the fall. By the time I realized mother nature was withholding water (drought)in spring 2011, it was July and the little PawPaws put on only 6 inches of growth before calling it quits for the year early along with my cherry, peaches and plums. However, right now -5/9/12 - in their second leaf, they are gong like gang busters. I was stunned that the Mango put out 5 flowers! - and its only 3.5 feet tall. The leafout this year has already exceeded all of last year's growth so I am optomistic. Long Island is in their natural range, so I say go for it! This year I also ordered a quince from Miller's (upstate NY)and it is doing well. Both of these mail order nurseries will have PawPaws and their packaging will guarantee healthy plants. I haven't checked out Hick's Nursery on Long Island this year, but if anyone would have them in stock, they will or they will order the PP trees for you. Please report back on what you decide to do. Good luck.

Hello ! I live in Long Island NY also - in Suffolk County - I became really interested in Pawpaws in the early spring of 2016 and as a result I currently have 3 baby trees planted - another grafted tree I have in a pot in the ground which I will plant out next spring in 2018 - So far the trees have survived the first winter and they have grown really well - I had some trouble with a grafted cultivar - it is KSU -ATWOOD and I think it was because I needed to give the tree fertilizer and make the soil more acidic - I used jobes organic acid loving formula and seaweed and fish fertilizer on all of my trees and they grew sooo much this year - one of the bigger seedlings has flower buds on them - So I would say they can grow really well on Long Island - another interesting thing I saw - not too far from my house I saw someone has a huge pawpaw tree on their property outside their front fence - I have no clue if they are aware that it is a pawpaw because I never saw any fruit on it during the summer but it has to be a Pawpaw it has the leaves and the small flowers in the spring - I heard Sunflower is self-fertile but I would plant more than 1 if you can just for survival purposes and more fruit - try a KSU-ATWOOD pawpaw - it has a mild flavor and is the heaviest bearing variety for Pawpaw trees at Kentucky State University - supposed to have a good tropical flavor and more than 150 fruits per tree - definitely a lot of fruit !