Patty in Wisc

At least it sure looks like a small round fruit/blossom unlike new leaves budding. I have 2 trees for cross pollination & only 1 blossom on one tree. Been growing this for 5 yrs & I'm excited. I never saw one or tasted one before.
All I know is that it was George Washingtons favorite desert. He chilled them & cut in half & ate w/ a spoon.
Anyone else growing this?

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stevenbick

i just started mine here but they are native there is a big patch by my house but i never ate one

alpha010

That is awesome miss patty! Have you been reading my future mind? I was looking at growing these in my yard last year... but alas, I want to keep my nearly leaf-less yard like that.

Steve, you should send me a street intersection closest to this patch and when the fruit are big enough to be picked and I could be there in about an hour to try some!

Shaggy

P.s. Patty, what kind of stature is the tree right now that has the bud? i.e. height, width, pot or ground. I believe I saw somewhere that you can get these to fruit in pots around 5 years or better.

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Patty in Wisc

After I got them (on a trade) I kept them in pots first winter & then out inground for last 4-5 yrs. They are very slow growing at first. They are now about 6 ft. Always the last to come out of dormancy & bud out.
They don't get too big from what I've read so it might be good for you Shaggy! I'll have to post some pics soon

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Bananaman88

Paw Paw's grew wild in some of the woods where I grew up in Western KY. I alway loved eating them but it was a challenge to beat the critters to them. Possoms and raccoons seem to love them so watch out if you have any of those in your area!

Bob

Hey Brent , did they actually taste like banana custard as advertised? I' really want to try one but don't have much room at my current local for trees.

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Bananaman88

I've never had banana custard, so I can't say for sure but they do have ovetones of bananas and the texture is somewhat custard-like depending on their degree of ripeness. Paw-paws don't get huge height-wise, however, a word of warning: they do spread by sending out suckers. In fact, there are a couple of sections of our woods back home that are almost impenetrable now because the paw-paws are so thick.

Patty in Wisc

So far I see 2 flower buds...may be more starting on other tree.
Been reading up on this & I'm disappointed now. Says it must be pollinated from another tree & it must be a different variety! I don't know what variety I have. It also said that they don't always grow true from seed...fruits may be poor quality. The guy I got them from grew them from seed.
And, the flower is both male & female but not self fertile. Male is first then female to get pollen from. I will brush up pollen & save it in fridge untill I see a flower on the other tree with the stigma ready. Seems that's all I can do & worth a try.
I WANT PAW PAW FRUITS whaaaaaa

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Bananaman88

Bummer. I read that you had two trees so I assumed you were aware of the pollination issues. If you do an internet search you can find nurseries that sell different varieties. I know there has been some breeding work done to increase the size of the fruit and to decrease the size/amount of seeds. There are some named cultivars out there now that should be an improvement over the straight species.

lorax

What do paw-paw look like, anyhoo?

NotherNana

Lorax, (good morning !)
They actually taste like banana custard. Because the tree has become more liked, they have even started making other cultivars of it, with slightly different fruit flavors. The original is still the best.
But for people like you and me, we cannot grow them. They have to have a chill factor of so many hours to set fruit, and i think (someone please correct me if I'm wrong here) you cannot grow them for fruit above zone...8? Some of the cultivars they've derived from original will take to zone 9, but none in 10 and up.
I ate them all the time when I was a kid up in Virginia. I've wanted to get some for years, but can't because of this! they're very tasty! They remind me of huge green kidney beans for description. Nichole places link below for picture
Gino
Picture:
File:ARS pawpaw.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

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alpha010

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/ARS_pawpaw.jpg/800px-ARS_pawpaw.jpg

It is actually an Annona(sp?) wiki says it is closely related to soursop, sweetsop, and cherimoya.

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NotherNana

Absolutely right. Yes, related to soupsop
Gino

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lorax

Oh, well then. I have the advantage of being able to grow the other annonas, so I'm cool.

Bananaman88

I think you all are talking about a different plant also called paw-paw. The one we have been discussing is Asimina triloba. It's a member of the Magnoliaceae, if I'm not mistaken. I'll try to find a pic to post.

Bananaman88

Here's a link with info and and pic. Asimina triloba - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Patty in Wisc

Brent, I saw them for sale in a catalogue - grafted & seedlings. It said to order 2 for pollination but that's all it said. I ordered 2) 1-2 yr seedlings & they died 1st yr. The link below tells all you want to know about paw paws.
I have cherimoyas also & they should fruit this yr too. They are also tricky to pollinate but I can do it. Those are in tall tree pots & I drag them in sunroom for winter.
I tasted cherimoya - waaay too many seeds & not much flavor. Maybe it was old. Anyone taste the 2 to compare?
I wonder how long the pollen will keep...maybe I could buy some from someone.
Read below -- interesting!

PAWPAW Fruit Facts

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alpha010

Brent, what you and Gino and Beth are talking about ARE the same thing...exerpt from crfg.org
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Common Name:Pawpaw, Paw Paw, Papaw, Poor Man's Banana, Hoosier Banana, etc. (In Australia the tropical papaya, Carica papaya, is also known as Pawpaw).

Related species: Asimina incarna, A. longifolia, A. obovata, A. parviflora, A. pygmaea, A. reticulata, A. tetramera, A. X nashii. These eight Asimina species grow in the southeastern United States.

Distant Affinity: Cherimoya (Annona cherimola), Soursop (Annona muricata), Custard Apple (Annona reticulata), Sugar Apple, Sweetsop (Annona squamosa), Atemoya (Annona squamosa X A. cherimola).
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You may be thinking Carica papaya, but we aren't, that won't grow above zone 9 I believe.
The "Indiana Banana" will grow up to zone 3.

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lorax

Patty, if you had a flavourless Chirimoya it was picked too green. I can assure you that a ripe one has a distinctive and delicious tropical-fruit-and-vanilla flavour.

Eric1221

How are your Pawpaws doing now? Do you love the fruit and what is the taste like? Do your trees produce a lot of fruit? I'm curious of what you have learned about your own trees! Happy gardening!

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I am very fascinated and excited about growing Pawpaws (Asimina triloba). I also am equally fascinated and excited to be growing: Pawpaw cultivars, Echinacea purpurea 'magnus', Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly Weed, Musa basjoo Cold Hardy Banana, Lycium barbarum 'Sweet Lifeberry', Passiflora incarnata 'hardy native maypop'.

Future projects: Indigenous/native host plants for butterflies such as: Zizia aurea Golden Alexanders, Eutrochium maculatum Joe Pye Weed, Asclepias incarnata Rose Milkweed.