11/18/2023 0 Comments Paw paw tree identification(Bees and other insects show little interest in the pawpaw flower, so hand-pollination is sometimes required.)Įmail follow her Follow LiveScience on Twitter We're also on Facebook & Google+. ![]() As a native of the United States, it has few pests and doesn't need much care.īut be forewarned that the pawpaw's maroon blossom, while beautiful, is said to smell like rotting meat - which might further explain its delayed cultivation. If you're a do-it-yourselfer, you can purchase your own pawpaw trees and start harvesting these fruits within a few years. Instead, look for this fruit at farmer's markets and specialty stores - including some online retailers - in the late summer or early autumn. So if you want to give paw paws a try, don't run to the supermarket. And the pawpaw doesn't travel well: It bruises easily and has a short shelf life (two to three days at room temperature). The odd beanlike shape and mottled skin of the pawpaw make it a hard sell to consumers who don't know the custardy sweetness that lies beneath the fruit's exterior. Paw paw ice cream, anyone? How about paw paw-nut bread?īut despite this fruit's popularity with locals and its rich nutritional value (it's high in protein, antioxidants, vitamins A and C and several essential minerals), the pawpaw has managed to stay out of most grocery stores and off the radar of big agriculture. Probably super late here, but the absolute easiest way to know if you have found a pawpaw tree or not is to crush up one of the leaves and smell it. Paw paw aficionados eat the fruit straight from the tree, or use it in a variety of delicious recipes. Since the fruit is too soft and perishable for shipping, pawpaw is not commercially grown and marketed. ![]() Although naturally they have a bushy, suckering habit, they can be pruned and trained into a single trunk, pyramid-shaped tree. Today the paw paw, which often grows along the banks of rivers and streams, is a convenient snack for kayakers and a staple in the autumn diets of many country dwellers. Pawpaw trees are on the small side for fruit trees, about 15 to 20 feet (5-6 m.) in height. presidents favored paw paws: George Washington reportedly enjoyed them for dessert, and Thomas Jefferson was known to have grown paw paws at Monticello. Historically, the fruit was enjoyed by Native Americans and early European settlers alike.
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