Did you know you can grow: Pawpaw

Georgia is famous for its peaches, pecans and peanuts, but thanks to its mild climate, the state also supports a variety of uncommon and exotic fruits and nuts.

In a series inspired by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension publication “Minor Fruits and Nuts in Georgia,” edited by UGA Extension consumer horticulturist Bob Westerfield, we’ll highlight lesser-known edibles that can thrive in Georgia home gardens.

This issue focuses on pawpaw, a small tree that produces the largest edible fruit native to North America.

Pawpaw, or Asimina triloba, is an ancient plant, originally spread through North America by megafauna like mastodons and giant ground sloths during the glacial period. Now, the trees are dispersed throughout the Eastern United States and as far north as southern Ontario, extending farther than other members of the custard apple family, which can only be found in the Southeastern U.S.

The tree is valued for its sweet, tropical fruit. About the size of a large potato, the green fruit turns yellow as it ripens and has a soft, edible flesh that tastes like a mix of banana and mango, with hints of citrus or vanilla.

Pawpaw has been underused in the U.S. in recent history, mainly due to its short shelf life. But there are several efforts to bring it back. Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Mike Fillon recently crafted a proposal to the city of Tucker, Georgia, requesting that pawpaw become the official fruit tree of the city due to its prevalence in the area.

The University of Kentucky houses the only full-time pawpaw research program in the world and hosts the international pawpaw conference in the state capital of Frankfort.

Rather than the more common pollinators like bees, the distinct rotting smell of pawpaw blooms attracts flies and beetles, including ladybugs, for pollination. These pollinators can be unreliable at times, resulting in varying fruit yields from year to year. Hand pollination is an option for those wanting larger yields.

A relatively hardy, low-maintenance tree, pawpaws are typically free of disease and insects, so the trees require minimal pest control or pruning.

Pawpaw trees typically produce fruit four to eight years after planting. Blooms arrive in early May, emerging as small, maroon or purple flowers. Fruit will begin ripening in September.

As the fruit ripens, the skin of a pawpaw turns from green to yellow and black, and the fruit will fall from the tree. Harvest as soon as possible, as pawpaw fruits spoil quickly. Refrigeration can extend their shelf life.