Pawpaw
Pawpaw (Asimina tribola)
Deciduous Tree
Size for Sale: 2-0, 12-18 inches
Native to the U.S.
Cold Hardiness Zone Where Species Typically Survives: 4-9
Range: eastern United States
Typical Mature Height: 25-35 feet
Light Requirement: Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun/shade (4-6 hrs light daily), Full shade (4 hrs or less of light daily)
Soils: well-drained, deep, fertile bottom-land and hilly upland habitat
Habitat: Grows well along streams and swamps
Flower Color: rich red-purple or maroon when mature, with three sepals and six petals.
Bloom Time: early spring
Fruits: Pawpaw fruits have a sweet, custardish flavor resembling a banana, mango, and cantaloupe, ripening in late August to mid-September. For culinary purposes they are commonly considered a vegetable, rather than a fruit.
Uses: Fresh fruits of the pawpaw are commonly eaten raw, either chilled or at room temperature, but can be kept only 2–3 days at room temperature, or about a week if refrigerated. Where pawpaws grow, the fruit pulp is also often used locally in baked dessert recipes, with pawpaw often substituted with volumetric equivalency in many banana-based recipes. Due to its potential for allergic reaction causing contact dermatitis and possible presence of pesticides, pawpaw consumption may be harmful to humans.
Photo by Brian Lockhart, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
More Information: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ASTR