Author Topic: I found this in the Great Dismal Swamp (Read 2616 times)

WDH · « **on:** September 23, 2008, 11:20:47 am »

I found this plant growing on a true organic muck in North Carolina just south of the Virginia line in the Great Dismal Swamp (aptly named

).

It fooled me, maybe it will fool you too

. What is it?

First hint: It can be a small shrub, but it can also grow to be a tree 6" or more in diameter on the right site.

Lanier_Lurker · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2008, 12:15:41 pm »

Looks like an Alnus of some sort.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2008, 12:43:39 pm »

Quote from: Lanier_Lurker on September 23, 2008, 12:15:41 pm

Looks like an Alnus of some sort.

Only if the buds are stocked, doubly serrate leaf margins and triangular shaped pith.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2008, 01:27:33 pm »

The leaves are interesting, almost as if the plant rose from a sucker or stump sprout. I never seen a leaf tip recessed like that. Kinda leaning toward pawpaw myself.

WDH · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2008, 04:11:23 pm »

PawPaw is right! They were tasty, too

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2008, 04:17:19 pm »

Nice! Some of'm look like the size of a Kosher Dill.

tyb525 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 23, 2008, 04:21:12 pm »

I've heard we have pawpaw's around here, never seen any first hand though. I hope I get the chance to try one sometime.

pigman · « **Reply #7 on:** September 23, 2008, 06:29:16 pm »

I have not seen any PawPaws since I was a kid. We had some on the farm where I grew up. I remember the trees were large, but to a 5 year old a 6 inch tree seems large.

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2008, 07:46:23 pm »

Does pawpaw compare to any other fruit? If not, can you describe it?

Dave

WDH · « **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2008, 07:55:10 pm »

Texture is like a very ripe banana. The taste is a combo of banana, mango, and cantaloupe. The taste is very distinctive, unique, and very good. They have large flat seeds that about the size and shape of a lima bean.

These are by far the largest pawpaws that I have ever ran across. I could have picked up a bushel basket full.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #10 on:** September 24, 2008, 05:43:24 am »

It's one of them tropical fruit trees turned temperate.

I never ate one, but WDH describes it pretty much like Peterson does in the field guide, "false banana". I don't see it in the Dendro textbook. It's what they call a member of the custard apple family. Tastes like custard I guess.

OneWithWood · « **Reply #11 on:** September 29, 2008, 12:39:42 pm »

Harvested some paw paw Saturday during the field day. What a treat!

When I was a kid, living in Elizabeth City, NC, we would skip school on occasion and wander into the Great Dismal as far as we could without getting lost. Jumping from log to log trying to keep from getting wet or landing on a log with a cottonmouth!

_{I should have just said when I used to live in... I am still a kid}

Weekend_Sawyer · « **Reply #12 on:** September 29, 2008, 12:57:49 pm »

I like Paw Paw, the bears around my WV place will knock a tree over to get to the fruit.

definatly messy to eat

Bro. Noble · « **Reply #13 on:** September 29, 2008, 01:13:18 pm »

We used to have a neighbor that made wine out of just about anything. On occasion I was talked into giving her my opinion on the different wines that she produced. Although I'm not a drinker anymore, I'll have to admit that my favorite way to consume pa-paws is from a wineglass. We have a fair crop this year. I don't think anyone has mentioned the aroma of pa-paws. The best way for me to find them is by the sweet smell. You can smell them from 20 or 30 yards off.

WDH · « **Reply #14 on:** September 29, 2008, 06:33:20 pm »

Where, oh where,
Is dear little Nellie?
Where, oh where,
Is dear little Nellie?
Where, oh where,
Is dear little Nellie?
Way down yonder
In the pawpaw patch.

Come on, boys,
Let's go find her.
Come on, boys,
Let's go find her,
Come on, boys,
Let's go find her,
Way down yonder
In the pawpaw patch.

Picking up pawpaws,
Puttin' 'em in your pocket,
Picking up pawpaws,
Puttin' 'em in your pocket,
Picking up pawpaws,
Puttin' 'em in your pocket,
Way down yonder
In the pawpaw patch.

pigman · « **Reply #15 on:** September 29, 2008, 06:43:20 pm »

This is One With Wood's paw paw tree we saw at his field day.

tyb525 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 29, 2008, 09:02:59 pm »

I'll have to conduct a search for those in my woods..

WDH · « **Reply #17 on:** September 29, 2008, 10:52:27 pm »

OWW,

That is a nice pawpaw tree!

OneWithWood · « **Reply #18 on:** September 30, 2008, 09:26:22 am »

Linnea went out to gather the remaining fruits yesterday. There was only one left on the tree. The ones that fell to the ground had been consumed and only groupings of seed remained. She said it saves her the chore of removing the fruit. She is only interested in the seed

Weekend_Sawyer · « **Reply #19 on:** September 30, 2008, 10:27:21 am »

But what does she do with the seeds?

Dan_Shade · « **Reply #20 on:** September 30, 2008, 01:20:01 pm »

Had the seeds been previously consumed?

OneWithWood · « **Reply #21 on:** October 01, 2008, 01:42:58 pm »

She plants the seeds and sells the seedlings at the local farmer's market. The seedlings sell out in no time.

Dan_Shade · « **Reply #22 on:** October 01, 2008, 02:10:30 pm »

what time of year should the seedlings be planted?

OneWithWood · « **Reply #23 on:** October 01, 2008, 02:27:55 pm »

Now is the time.

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #24 on:** October 01, 2008, 02:59:24 pm »

As a general rule, the best time of year to plant a seed is the time of year that the seed is hitting the ground

.

WDH · « **Reply #25 on:** October 01, 2008, 08:01:32 pm »

There were a few seeds that hit the ground 2 weeks ago, scattered all the way from North Carolina to Georgia

.

Lanier_Lurker · « **Reply #26 on:** October 01, 2008, 10:39:21 pm »

Speaking of seeds hitting the ground right now, I am under attack from the big white oak that overhangs my driveway. I blew acorns off twice yesterday and once just before dark today. Had to duck and scramble a couple of times while doing it.

Hundreds of them....

I am blowing them into a specific area so I can harvest them and dispose of them elsewhere. I have dozens and dozens of seedlings in the yard from the last acorn crop 2 years ago. The wife does not want any more popping up.

I have taken a few inside and bagged them.

Is it unusual for white oak acorns to start sprouting before the end of September?

WDH · « **Reply #27 on:** October 01, 2008, 11:29:13 pm »

Negative. White oak sprouts in the fall and begins to put down a taproot. It figures on an early start.

Lanier_Lurker · « **Reply #28 on:** October 01, 2008, 11:50:38 pm »

Well, I knew they sprouted in fall, but before the end of September seemed a bit early - especially as warm as it has been.

I guess viability, ripeness, and readiness are bigger factors than temperature.

I just wish they grew faster. I'd be more inclined to propagate them if they did.

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Author Topic: I found this in the Great Dismal Swamp (Read 2616 times)