American paw paw

[bandmiller2]

Brian, are you quite sure it was a paw,and was it ripe?if so you must be alergic to them.They have alot of large seeds and should be tasty.checked my wild edible plants book says they don't agree with some folks.Frank C.

[Phorester]

Wow, WDH, your pucture of a hardhat of paw paws is more than I've seen in my entire career!  They're not a very common tree here, and wildlife usually get them before they're ripe enough for people to eat.  I ate my first and only paw paw in my fortyieth year.  Tasted to me like a barbarcued banana, if you could barbarcue one of those things.  That's also the year I got my first and only obscene phone call.  A momentous occasion, turning 40.

[Ironwood]

Ones I saw were big, HUGE , and still on the tree. Do they need to fall before you can eat them? Or can you pick them and then ripen at home?

 (northerner w/out a clue.) Ironwood

[bandmiller2]

Ironwood,if their almost mature yet still green you can put them on a windowsill they will ripen in a couple of days.

[Ironwood]

Thanks wish  had known. Next year!

 Ironwood

[Magicman]

We checked on the Paw Paws yesterday and few are starting to ripen.  In about 2 weeks most of them will be ready.  Some trees are really loaded.  We even saw a 4 cluster.
 


My Son and I in the Paw Paw Patch, taken July 4th.

[bandmiller2]

Magic, how do you tell their ripe,they must still be green.This spring I tried pollinating with an artest brush can't see as it helped much my trees have fruit but not loaded.Frank C.

[Magicman]

A slight yellowish tint, and not as firm.  If they will shake off they are ready, but they bruise so easily.  I would rather pick them.

[Dana]

The Paw Paw seedling I purchased this spring I planted in full sun, in a field. I see most of you have them in an understory. Will they do o.k. where they are?

[WDH]

Paw paw is adapted to be somewhat shade tolerant as an understory species.  That is one of the reasons for the big leaves.  Who knows, it might really take off in full sun.  In the wild, it is rather slow growing, so other trees easily overtop it, so is has learned to live in the understory.  Let us know how it does in full sun.

[bandmiller2]

Dana,I have read the seedlings and smaller trees need shade once they mature they do better with more sun.Would probibly be good form to build a little frame with cheese cloth over it at least until they get established.Planted mine along the edge of larger trees and they are doing well,and spreading.Frank C.