What is a Pawpaw tree?

I called my grandpa Pawpaw, so I'd love to know more about these!

Pawpaw is a kind of fruit, supposedly like a "custard" in flavor and texture. You must have two of them in order for fruiting to occur.

I grew one from seed and purchased another bare root. They will grow in some shade and like lots of water (at least until they are well established).

Michael, last year I purchased an Ichang lemon because they are supposed to be hardy to zone 7. I live in OKC. Mine made it thru the winter (in the ground) just fine and has by now put on new foliage and looks great. This is supposed to be a really good lemon for cooking, making pies, etc. Actually, I planted it to attract the Giant Swallowtails, but if I eventually get fruit (it's small), that will be a bonus.

Susan

Michael,

My experience with Pawpaws is limited but, I have a nice tree now. I kept my tree in a pot the first summer and kept it watered and let it grow. Last year in the early spring, I planted it. I put it in an area where it got dappled shade. This year it is getting almost full sun due to the ice storm damage. It is doing well, though, and has really started shooting up. I mulched it heavily last year after planting it, and kept it from drying out.

Now I've got to invest in a second tree so I can have fruit. I, like Susan, am growing it for the Zebra Swallowtails.

Loretta of Clear Creek Nursery in Peggs, told me she had lots of Zebras this year on her Pawpaws. I got my small tree from her.

Question: Are your trees that you got the dwarf variety? I am wanting to keep mine fairly small. Also, where did you purchase your trees?

Sandy

Sandy, I don't think they get very large after reaching maturity anyway. But, I certainly understand the need to keep something small, since I work with very limited sun space. My pawpaws are in the backyard where they get partial shade. The leaves as just looking awful this year, though, from so much wind, hail, and hard rain damage.

Not to swipe the thread here, but I planted my little lobelias and they are just taking off like crazy!

Susan

Outside of growing them for butterfly food, has anyone ever eaten something prepared with PawPaws?

My trees are too small yet to produce fruit, but I intend to try it once they do. I have heard that they have a very short shelf life; as in, eat it the day you pick it. I believe there was someone here awhile back who grew pawpaws that had eaten them, too. Maybe she will pop in here.

Susan

I'm glad to see so many replies here. I've planted 25 Pawpaws so far. The first 2 I got in pots from a nursery (as mentioned in my initial posting here) and put them in the ground. The rest a couple of my sons and I dug up in and near a creek bed in a wooded area last Friday evening. We brought them home bare root, put them in a bucket of water the next day and then planted them Sat night. One in the ground between the 2 from the nursery and the rest in pots to be put in the ground later if they survive.

I have downloaded quite a few documents about Pawspaws. I have not even finished reading them all. Let me know if you would like for me to e-mail them to you.

Sandy, I'm sorry, but I do not know the name of the nursery where I bought our first 2 Pawpaw trees. I asked my wife and searched online, but could not find the name. If I had not paid cash I could look at my statement. It is a roadside nursery north of hwy 60 and west of Nowata. All they told me is what the tag was labeled "PAWPAW", so I do not know which variety they are. Pawpaws grow wild here, so they may be from a native tree. A point of interest, the well known Pawpaw cultivar called Sunflower was selected from the wild in or near Chanute, KS which is only about 85 miles from my home.

Whenever I visit this forum, I have very little to contribute, but we used to eat pawpaws all the time. There were trees just across the alley from our backyard in Indiana. (Have any of you ever lived near an alley? I don't think Tulsa has any.)

We would pick up the pawpaws from the ground and begin eating them. They have a distinct flavor, and the texture is like a ripe banana. We didn't eat them until they were mushy. The flavor was subtle like a banana, but different of course.

This subject brings back fond memories because my grandmother used to live in a small house behind our house, and she would call me out to the yard, when it was time that we could eat the pawpaws. Neither my mother or grandmother ever prepared them - we just ate them when we were outside.

We had a gian pear tree, and I do remember my mother telling us kids to pick up the rotten pears and pawpaws so the bees and bugs wouldn't be so bad.

The pawpaw trees were near the tiger lilies. Do any of you have a souce for tiger lilies?

Sammy

Sammy, yes, we had an alley in Norman, Oklahoma! Also had a really nice garden we inherited with apricot trees, papershell pecans, very old established peonies, iris, and we grew a veggie garden there as well. My neighbor grew the most beautiful Iris in her yard. She was quite elderly and was retired librarian from the University of Oklahoma. She loved my cat, too, and her home was his home as well.

Michael, I know exactly where Chanute is; I'm from Neodesha and lived also in Independence for awhile. Been in Oklahoma since 1975 (except for a short time in Massachusetts and Dallas, Texas).

I wish I had an alley now, Sammy. It is hard to get into my backyard with a load of dirt or mulch or anything. Alley access makes those things so much easier instead of having to cart things in a wheelbarrow thru the gates (which always get hung up on something).

Susan

Sandy,

The first 2 Pawpaw trees I bought from Maple Street Greenhouse 918-273-0078. We went out there this past Saturday. It was during their posted hours and there were 2 signs that said OPEN, but one that said CLOSED and a chain across the walkway. My wife and our 3 youngest children waited there in the parking lot for about an hour thinking that maybe they were out to lunch or would be back soon for some other reason. I called and left a message, but I have not heard back from anyone yet. We were bummed as we live about 20 miles from there.

Michael Clay : http://www.BuffaloDairy.com
https://auth.gardenweb.com/members/michael67

That would definitely be a bummer. I'll have to call them and see if they are ever there. Thanks for the information.

Sandy

I've been following this thread and if someone ever does get a Paw Paw fruit would they please tell about it on this thread or post the info on a new one. I'm hoping for some pictures (tree, fruit, fruit cut open to see the insides etc.) and also what it tastes like. I know what people say it tastes like from past memories but I'd like fresh "buds" applied.

I recently got some seeds and appreciate the replies on this thread. Any other OKC experiences to tell with growing pawpaws?

Regarding the flavor, they're in the same family as the tropical fruit, Cherimoya, aka, 'sugar apple' or 'custard apple'. However those don't taste anything like an apple. It is very hard to describe the taste. Mark Twain once said "the cherimoya is the essence of deliciousness".

I've heard it said they taste like a combo of a mango and a banana, but I disagree. All I know is that if a pawpaw tastes HALF as good as a cherimoya, they will be worth growing. yum! I don't think anyone would argue that a cherimoya is in the top five of the best tasting fruits on the planet. :)

Well, I will have to try a cherimoya now cuz I'm all for trying exotic anything!

I grow pawpaws, but mine are still very small. One I grew from seed; the other I ordered from a native plant nursery. It will be years before I am able to get fruit.

Have fun!

Susan

My university is planting several pawpaw trees on campus next week, so i've been doing some research on them. I've never eaten one, but i've been reading that they contain a neurotoxin that while is potentially an amazing anti-cancer treatment.. some studies also show that it can cause Parkinson's disease. Though I'm hoping you'd have to eat alot of them to cause that. The offending chemical is actually a natural pesticide, an alkaloid.. so I'm wondering if maybe you can cook the chemical out of it somehow. Pharmaceutical companies harvest it from the bark of the tree.. but it seems it is contained everywhere in the plant.

Can anyone comment on this?

Here is a link that might be useful: WebMD - study of parkinsons and pesticides

I bet the toxin is localized to the seeds and/or skin of the fruit as opposed to the flesh of the fruit. That often happens with tropical fruits where the plant gives the animal eating it incentive to eat the flesh but not the seeds, or at least not to chew up the seeds. Thus it helps to ensure germination, etc.

Another thing is that I would anticipate low concentrations of any toxin and therefore any ill effects would come from consuming a HUGE quantity of the plant/fruits. It's usually not in the best interests of a plant to kill the potential seed spreaders in its habitat.

I've eaten a few cherimoyas in a weeks span and I didn't die.

Obviously my fruit adventures have not kept up with the rest of you. I've never heard of a Cherimoya. Where do you buy such a thing? Does Walmart have it? I know a friend of mine turned me on to Kumquats and when Albertsons was around they carried them. Now that Food Pyramid has taken over it's back to the same standard variety of fruit as Walmart. Anyway, I'll keep checking in with this thread in hopes of someones personal experience with a Paw Paw. If anyone knows of a mail order place for unusual fruit or a local source in Tulsa please let me know..Maryl

I received 3 pawpaw trees form a community relief event, after a tornado. I will be shipping them when I fly out next week to my new house. (flat pasture land) and wanting to plant right away. How do I know if the three will produce the fruit; if they came from the same organization? moving to clay soil in zone 7b. good spot to plant them in, I have no shade yet. was thinking about making a shade net for them. ADVICE

I live in Pawhuska, Oklahoma and wanting to plant paw paw trees. So glad someone nearby in Bartlesville is trying to grow paw paw trees!