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Post by Tiirsys on Jan 15, 2015 21:13:59 GMT -5
Uhg! Every time I am reading about Pawpaw, I can't help but have my mouth water. I've never tasted one before, nor even seen the fruit in real life! Since I learned about this fruit a couple years ago I have been hankering for it!
I'd love to hear about people's experiences with Pawpaw, and if you have any opinion on types I would love to hear that too.
I almost bought one that was called 'Mango', and am kicking myself for not getting it now. I don't know if it's flesh is supposed to resemble mango, or be reminiscent of the flavor, but as it stands, real mangoes are my favorite fruit. I have heard Pawpaw flavor described many ways, from a mixture of banana/strawberry, or banana/mango... those are the first, most popular that come to mind. Also always described as 'custardy'.
I just really want to sneak a tree into my parent's yard!! (Since I assume they would not do well in a pot because of the taproot.)
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Post by steev on Jan 15, 2015 22:22:37 GMT -5
I have also long been vaguely interested in Paw Paws; it's one of those "I should get around to that" fruits; I think a lot of work has been done on it here in NorCal and that it should do well on the farm, but it's a tad spendy for plants and seems to be another of those whiners that wants its little twigs held for the first couple years, after which it's apparently pretty trouble-free. I've killed enough walnut and persimmon trees to be wary of such; I'm just not on the farm enough to baby-sit; I hope to be before I'm too old to see plants like these to fruitful maturity.
Actually, upon reflection, I don't recall any lizards with forked tongues; that may be just the snakes, but I may have forgotten.
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Post by khoomeizhi on Jan 16, 2015 5:08:51 GMT -5
i'm a big fan (and i don't like bananas) it was a big harvest year for pawpaw locally this past fall...there are a fair amount of wild ones around here - to my knowledge i've never had a select variety. my orchard group planted out 100 forest-service 2-year-old trees this spring (most of which died to the ground and came back from the roots) that, when big enough, we'll graft to select varieties.
there are a number of good varieties available (higher yield, less seed)...the peterson-bred ones look to be really nice, if more expensive (and patented) than others. (bigger fruits, way fewer seeds) ...seems like the way to get the biggest healthiest tree possible would be to plant seed in situ (so you have the benefit of being on original-location taproot) and then graft varieties when the rootstock is big enough and really ready to push. we have a huge amount of seed (which may be all spoken for for planting this year - big aspirations), but if people are interested in seed for next year i should be able to put some aside if you let me know. don't know how best to ship, though, as they need to stay moist and as such are less tolerant of temperature extremes than dry seed.
the word is that they need shade for the first couple years, and then produce better in full sun. from what i've seen though, they do fine in full sun from the get-go.
they're the only temperate member of a tropical family. flavor is definitely 'tropical-esqe'.
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Post by blueadzuki on Jan 16, 2015 7:22:14 GMT -5
Pawpaws are the North American outcrop of the Annoacae family, and their fruits taste pretty typical for the group and have similar mouthfeel. So if you've had the fruit of any of the tropical members (Cherimoya, Atemoya, Sugar apple, Custard apple, Bullock's Heart etc. (technically soursop/guanabana too but that doesn't taste quite like the rest) you've got a pretty good idea of what pawpaws taste like. .Actually, upon reflection, I don't recall any lizards with forked tongues; that may be just the snakes, but I may have forgotten. There are LOTS of fork tongued lizards. For example pretty much all of the monitor lizards have forked tongues, up to and including the Komodo dragon. |
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Post by reed on Jan 16, 2015 8:48:30 GMT -5
Never messed with planting them, there are quite a lot wild in the woods around my neighborhood, next year I'll make a point to collect up seed for those who want some.
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Post by steev on Jan 16, 2015 12:13:42 GMT -5
It was my hazy recollection of monitors that had me unsure about lizard tongues.
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Post by Tiirsys on Jan 17, 2015 1:09:13 GMT -5
I have also long been vaguely interested in Paw Paws; it's one of those "I should get around to that" fruits; I think a lot of work has been done on it here in NorCal and that it should do well on the farm, but it's a tad spendy for plants and seems to be another of those whiners that wants its little twigs held for the first couple years, after which it's apparently pretty trouble-free. I've killed enough walnut and persimmon trees to be wary of such; I'm just not on the farm enough to baby-sit; I hope to be before I'm too old to see plants like these to fruitful maturity. Actually, upon reflection, I don't recall any lizards with forked tongues; that may be just the snakes, but I may have forgotten. Gila Monsters have cool forked purple tongues! Just need a friend close by who grows them... |
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Post by Tiirsys on Jan 17, 2015 1:12:02 GMT -5
i'm a big fan (and i don't like bananas) it was a big harvest year for pawpaw locally this past fall...there are a fair amount of wild ones around here - to my knowledge i've never had a select variety. my orchard group planted out 100 forest-service 2-year-old trees this spring (most of which died to the ground and came back from the roots) that, when big enough, we'll graft to select varieties. there are a number of good varieties available (higher yield, less seed)...the peterson-bred ones look to be really nice, if more expensive (and patented) than others. (bigger fruits, way fewer seeds) ...seems like the way to get the biggest healthiest tree possible would be to plant seed in situ (so you have the benefit of being on original-location taproot) and then graft varieties when the rootstock is big enough and really ready to push. we have a huge amount of seed (which may be all spoken for for planting this year - big aspirations), but if people are interested in seed for next year i should be able to put some aside if you let me know. don't know how best to ship, though, as they need to stay moist and as such are less tolerant of temperature extremes than dry seed. the word is that they need shade for the first couple years, and then produce better in full sun. from what i've seen though, they do fine in full sun from the get-go. they're the only temperate member of a tropical family. flavor is definitely 'tropical-esqe'. Wow, your orchard group was busy! blueadzuki: I've never got to have any of those other fruits you mentioned, either. :( |
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Post by khoomeizhi on Jan 17, 2015 8:55:18 GMT -5
it's a nut orchard group actually - the pawpaws are kind of a side project. so yes, a hundred pawpaws, but 400 pecans to graft to hickory....yeah, we've been busy.
and i'll take a pawpaw over a cherimoya any day.
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Post by 12540dumont on Jan 19, 2015 18:56:16 GMT -5
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).
Origin: The pawpaw is native to the temperate woodlands of the eastern U.S. The American Indian is credited with spreading the pawpaw across the eastern U.S. to eastern Kansas and Texas, and from the Great Lakes almost to the Gulf. Fossils prove the pawpaw is indigenous to the U.S.
Adaptation: The pawpaw is adapted to the humid continental climate of its native habitat. It is seldom found near the Atlantic or Gulf coasts. It requires a minimum of 400 hours of winter chill and at least 160 frost-free days. Pawpaws appear to be sensitive to low humidities, dry winds and cool maritime summers. It has been successfully grown in parts of California and the Pacific Northwest that meet its growing requirements. It has grown well in the San Jose area (USDA Climate Zone 9 or Sunset Climate Zone 15). The climatic conditions of Southern California make growing the pawpaw there more difficult. The deep winter dormancy of the tree makes it highly frost tolerant, withstanding temperatures of -25° F or lower (hardy to USDA Climate Zone 5). Pawpaws can be grown as container specimens, although this is not often practiced. A deep pot is needed to accommodate the root system.
The Kentucky State list of cultivars, while not as extensive, is more current. The following cultivars are among the best with regard to fruit quality:
Davis
Fruit small. Flesh yellow, green skin. Seeds large. Flavor good.
Mary Foos Johnson
Similar to Sunflower.
Mitchell
Fruit medium. Flesh golden, slightly yellow skin. Flavor excellent.
Overleese
Fruit large. Fewer seed but large. Flesh yellow. Flavor excellent.
Prolific
Fruit large. Flesh yellow. Flavor excellent.
Sunflower
Fruit medium large. Flesh golden, yellowish skin. Few seeds. Flavor good. Purported to be self-fertile.
Sweet Alice
Fruit medium large. Prolific bearer. Flesh yellow. Flavor good.
Taylor
Fruit small. Flesh yellow, green skin. Flavor mild, excellent.
Taytoo
Fruit medium. Flesh yellow, light green skin. Flavor excellent. Prolific bearer.
Wells
Fruit quite large. Flesh orange, green skin. Flavor superb.
Yup, you can kill them. Yes to pots. Always sold out in any nursery I've ever been in. Yes they have avocados, that die here, apples that we don't have enough chill hours for, but I can never find a paw paw.
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Post by steev on Jan 19, 2015 20:04:30 GMT -5
Going afield, there are bananas and cherimoyas being commercially grown near San Diego, CA, the only mainland US plantations of either, I think.
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Post by reed on Jan 19, 2015 21:36:43 GMT -5
A professor from Hanover Collage, knows a lot about plants, I suppose. Anyway he told me that at one time the US or maybe the colonies before that, I don't remember for sure, had problems getting people interested in coming to the new world. They had heard of it and that it was noting but a black forest, so dense the sun never touched the ground, filled with savage natives and giant bears.
They used Paw Paws as an example of how wondrous it truly was. A land where custard grows on trees.
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Post by steev on Jan 19, 2015 21:52:36 GMT -5
I think that in those years when immigration to the North American colonies was sparse, they relied more on "stick" than "carrot"; it tended to be "starvation, hanging or transport, your choice". Clearly, those of my ancestors who came in that period preferred transport, for which I am appropriately grateful.
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