How to Grow and Care for Pawpaw

The pawpaw tree (Asimini triloba) is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree native to North America. It’s known for its large edible fruit, tropical appearance, and colorful fall foliage.

The fruit has a sweet, exotic flavor that can be described as a mixture of banana and mango. Its smooth, custard-like consistency is similar to avocado. Due to its short shelf life once ripe, pawpaw fruit is uncommon in most grocery stores, making it lesser-known than other North American fruits.

Pawpaw trees can be challenging to find in many nurseries and garden centers. However, since wild pawpaws can be unpredictable when it comes to fruiting if you are interested in growing pawpaw yourself, it is best to buy a nursery start or propagate from an established fruiting tree rather than a wild pawpaw tree.

It’s also important to know that these trees are not self-pollinating, so two genetically different pawpaws are needed for pollination and fruit (note that suckers are not genetically distinct from the parent tree).

Here’s everything you need to know about growing and caring for pawpaw trees.

Warning

While pawpaw fruits are edible, not all parts of the fruit are safe for humans to consume. Avoid eating the seeds or thick peel of a pawpaw fruit as they contain a chemical called annonacin, which can cause severe stomach upset.

Pawpaw Care

In nature, pawpaw trees commonly grow as small shrub-like trees in the shaded forest understory. However, pawpaws benefit from more specialized care when cultivated for their fruit. Here are the main growing requirements for pawpaws.

• Plant in soil that is well-drained, slightly acidic, and nutrient-rich.
• Keep the soil evenly moist, especially during the first few months after planting.
• Choose a bright location, but protect young pawpaw trees from the harsh afternoon sun until established.

Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more!

Light

Established pawpaw trees thrive in full sun, but young trees can easily get scorched by the blazing afternoon sun. As a result, many gardeners will plant their pawpaw trees in a full-sun location and provide light shade protection for their saplings until they are established. A bright, partially shaded area during the afternoon is also a great option.

Soil

As forest understory plants, pawpaws are used to moist, slightly acidic, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. A light layer of mulch every year is a great way to maintain the soil health while helping retain water.

Water

Pawpaw trees thrive with consistently moist soil. It’s especially important to keep young trees properly watered, as they are more prone to drying out. Newly planted pawpaw trees should be watered two to three times a week for the first few months after planting.

Temperature and Humidity

These trees are native to the northeastern United States and are accustomed to hot summers and cold winters. They are hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9 and can easily tolerate seasonal temperature fluctuations.

Fertilizer

Pawpaw trees grow well in nutrient-rich soil, but aside from light mulching each year, they do not require additional fertilization.

However, newly planted saplings can benefit from regular fertilization during their first growing season. Apply a general all-purpose fertilizer once a month during the spring and summer, and stop fertilizing once temperatures drop in the fall.

Types of Pawpaw

There are many cultivated varieties of pawpaw trees available. Some of the most popular include:

• A. tribola ‘Allegheny’: known for its early ripening and sweet, rich flavor with hints of citrus.
• A. tribola ‘Mango’: One of the sweetest pawpaw varieties which, as its name suggests, is known for tasting more like mango than other varieties.
• A. tribola ‘Sunflower’: The only pawpaw variety known for being partially self-fertile. Produces medium-sized fruit with few seeds, this variety is favored for canning and baking.
• A. tribola ‘Wells’: Known for being prolific, ‘Wells’ grows soft medium-to-large sized green fruit.
• A. tribola ‘Wabash’: This variety is known for its large fruit, sweet flavor, and creamy texture—perfect for fresh eating!

Pruning

Pruning is not necessary but may be done to keep the tree healthy and tidy. In late winter to early spring, trim lower branches, diseased or broken branches, suckers, and crossed branches.

As with most trees and shrubs, never trim more than one third of the growth at a time. Pruning too aggressively can risk the tree's health and may halt or significantly lower fruit production.

Propagating Pawpaw Trees

Pawpaw trees can be propagated by grafting and seed, with the latter being the most popular option. Grafting pawpaws is a relatively advanced and complicated process typically completed at nurseries but not by most average gardeners.

Growing pawpaws from seed is straightforward and simple, so most growers prefer this method.

How to Grow Paw Paw From Seed

Growing pawpaws from seed is the easiest way to propagate these trees. Here are the steps to grow pawpaws from seed.

1. Extract seeds from ripe fruit, wash off the pulp, and score them lightly (scarify) to help improve moisture penetration.
2. Cold stratify the seeds for the winter using one of two methods: you can directly sow the seeds in the fall and let them naturally overwinter outdoors, or you can place the seeds in a resealable plastic bag in the fridge for between two to three months.
3. If your seeds aren’t already planted in the ground come springtime, you can sow them in moist, well-draining soil in the early spring.
4. Keep the soil evenly moist and protect young seedlings from strong wind and weather events until established.

Overwintering

Pawpaws are native to North America, which means they are no strangers to the cold winter weather. As a result, they do not require any specialized care to survive the harsh winter weather.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Pawpaw trees are known for being hardy and relatively pest- and disease-resistant once established, but there are a few common ailments to watch for.

Powdery mildew, in particular, can affect these native trees. Affected pawpaw trees can be treated with a fungicide like neem oil or copper.

Pests aren’t usually a problem for pawpaw trees, but there are a couple to watch out for. The speckled talponia moth, also known as the pawpaw peduncle borer, is known for being the most damaging as it eats the flowers, affecting fruit yield.

It’s also important to know that zebra swallowtail butterflies' larvae feed on the pawpaw leaves but rarely cause significant damage.

Many animals are also known to enjoy pawpaw’s delicious fruit. Native wildlife like opossums, squirrels, raccoons, foxes, and various species of birds are all known to favor ripe pawpaw.

Common Problems With Paw Paw Trees

Pawpaw trees are considered relatively low-maintenance once established. However, you may encounter a few common problems while your tree matures.

Yellowing leaves

Yellow leaves are a common indicator of a few different issues, from nutrient deficiency to improper watering and drainage.

To figure out why your pawpaw tree is developing yellow leaves, some further investigation will be required. Review your watering practices, ensure the soil is well-draining, and consider a soil test to check for nutrient deficiencies.

Lack of fruit production

Pawpaw trees have few natural pollinators which can make fruit production a tricky and unpredictable process. In addition, these trees are not self-pollinating, meaning that two genetically distinct trees are required for fruit production (the suckers a tree produces won’t aid in pollination).

If your tree is struggling to produce fruit, even with two separate trees present, hand-pollination may be required. This involves transferring pollen from one flower to another using a small brush.

From: thespruce