Pawpaw, hardy |
| General |
| Common Name | Pawpaw, hardy |
| Latin Name | Asimina triloba |
| Category | Fruits |
| Family | |
| Variety | Davis, Sunflower, Taylor, and Taytwo |
| Visual Traits |
| Flower | showy, maroon; late May; self-incompatibility |
| Foliage/Fall leaf color | yellow |
| Fruit | clusters of 1-6 fruits; 4-6"; green with white flesh to yellow-black when ripe; ripen mid-Sep to frost |
| Height | 15-20 ft |
| Cultivation |
| Field preparation and planting | incorporate organic matter |
| Field spacing / planting depth | 8' |
| Hardwood Cuttings | impossible rooting |
| Pollination | use two unrelated plants for pollination; few pollinators, recommend hand pollination |
| Propagation method | seed, grafting, budding |
| Pruning | prune suckers when young |
| Seed harvest | late fall |
| Seed treatment and storage | do not dry or freeze; cold stratification 70-100days |
| Seedling treatment | require shade from germination through first year outdoors; containerized seedling in greenhouse |
| Softwood cuttings | impossible rooting |
| Sowing seed | late fall, germinate following July-Aug or sow in deep containters, 1" deep; germinate 2-3weeks |
| Transplant | difficult, transplant when young; spring, at time of new growth |
| Watering guidelines | At establishment and throughout growing season; deeply in dry conditions |
| Critters |
| Insect and invertebrate pests | pawpaw peduncle borer, zebra swallowtail butterfly |
| Wildlife Pests | deer |
| Soils |
| Fertility / quality | fertile |
| Moisture and drainage | moist, well-drained; drought intolerant; intolerant to waterlogging |
| pH | 5.5-7 |
| Texture | medium to coarse |
| Growth Pattern |
| Fruit bearing age / full crop load | 5-8y, at 6' height (3y grafted) |
| Growth rate | slow when young |
| Longevity | short |
| Root habit | long taproot |
| Habitat and Climate |
| Fire tolerance | moderately tolerant |
| Frost-free days (FFD) | 160 |
| Hardiness Zone | 5 to 8 |
| Native Range | Eastern US, temperate woodlands |
| Rainfall / humidity | 9-60", sensitive to low humidity |
| Wind / ice / frost susceptibility | leaves susceptible to wind dessication |
| Light |
| Light recommendation | full sun |
| Shade tolerance | tolerant |
| Special Notes |
| Note 1 | select dark-fleshed cultivars for sweet taste |
