Come fall, the paw paws are ready to drop. They are amazing. I'm finding out that a lot of people don't know what they look like, even though we are surrounded by them. Probably the best tasting wild fruit.
Paw Paws
- Thread starter captain belly
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I have no idea what they are.
Never heard of them.
Don't have them in Washington as far as I know.
Never heard of them.
Don't have them in Washington as far as I know.
@backlash, they're definitely not native to your area:
(source: Wikipedia)
But I believe your area could be a compatible habitat for them, if you chose to grow them.
They're a beautiful understory tree, preferring somewhat lower areas near creeks in the woods. They have leaves that hang gracefully in an elongated teardrop shape - really pretty. You won't find the fruit in the grocery store because it just doesn't travel/handle well - it would never make it all the way out to Washington without getting bruised like the dickens. But the pioneers from the Appalachians to the Mississippi depended on them, and they're really making a comeback with the "buy local" food movement.
Seedlings are easily available for less than $10. But pawpaws are known to be a mixed bag when it comes to the taste of their fruit - they can be totally delicious, or decidedly less so. So buying a known variety makes sense. And grafted varieties will bear fruit sooner than straight seedlings.
Pawpaws colonize - you might see a patch of 100 little trees that are all part of the same DNA. And when that happens, they don't bear fruit because they don't self pollinate. So it's good to bring in trees from other colonies just to mix up the DNA and get that pollination.
But I believe your area could be a compatible habitat for them, if you chose to grow them.
They're a beautiful understory tree, preferring somewhat lower areas near creeks in the woods. They have leaves that hang gracefully in an elongated teardrop shape - really pretty. You won't find the fruit in the grocery store because it just doesn't travel/handle well - it would never make it all the way out to Washington without getting bruised like the dickens. But the pioneers from the Appalachians to the Mississippi depended on them, and they're really making a comeback with the "buy local" food movement.
Seedlings are easily available for less than $10. But pawpaws are known to be a mixed bag when it comes to the taste of their fruit - they can be totally delicious, or decidedly less so. So buying a known variety makes sense. And grafted varieties will bear fruit sooner than straight seedlings.
Pawpaws colonize - you might see a patch of 100 little trees that are all part of the same DNA. And when that happens, they don't bear fruit because they don't self pollinate. So it's good to bring in trees from other colonies just to mix up the DNA and get that pollination.
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I Love Paw Paw, but I have to be careful as they do contain a lot of Sugar. Here's something I found interesting: a Pinch of dried Paw Paw Seed Powder is Narcotic, bringing about "Stupor" and was once used to dull Pain, and a Wash made from the Ground Seeds was used to Kill Lice.
I have 3 trees planted and intend to get a few more. Growing up one uncle had a couple trees beside his drive between the house and barn. When we'd come by on the hay wagon and the fruit was ripe I always had to grab a few on the way by. Man were they ever good.
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I have a tree but it dose not bare.
Deer will get them if you turn your back for a moment... ;D
They are definitely hard to harvest at the right time. The best time is moment they fall off the trees. The major problem is the fact that they are gone soon after they fall. These sweet flavored fruits won't make it through the night.
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That's why you Harvest them just a bit before they are Ripe, and put them in a Brown Paper Bag to finish Ripening.
