Small-flowered Pawpaw Asimina parviflora
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ah-SIH-mi-nah par-vi-FLO-ra
- Description
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Small-flowered pawpaw is a deciduous shrub found in SE USA (and most areas of NC) in dry pine or oak forests or thickets. It is a member of the pawpaw family (Annonaceae). The species epithet is a compound of the two Latin words for “small” and “flower.”
Preference is for loose, moist to dry, well-drained soils in partial shade. As it matures and establishes, it will tolerate full sun. It does not tolerate dry, compacted soils. Plants have long taproots, so transplanting is difficult. Pawpaws need some babying to establish but are worth the effort. This plant works well as an understory tree in an open woodland setting and provides wildlife with food ... and you too, if you can get to them first!
It generally grows only 6-8 feet tall. The young shoots and leaves are covered with a rusty down, later becoming smooth. The small brownish-purple, six-petaled flowers are borne singly in leaf axils before leaf emergence. The fruit of the small-flowered pawpaw is smaller than that of the pawpaw (Asimina triloba) but is edible off the tree or used in cooking. More than one genetic strain (pollinizer) is needed for fruit set. The leaves of pawpaw and small-flowered pawpaw are the only plant in NC that the beautiful Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) butterfly larvae can eat. It is, therefore, a critical food source for this butterfly.
The small-flowered pawpaw is a good choice for butterfly gardens, native plant gardens, woodland shade gardens or rain gardens.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Asimina
- Species:
- parviflora
- Family:
- Annonaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used by Native Americans and early settlers for food. Seeds and leaves were used medicinally.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Layering
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE USA
- Distribution:
- NC south to Florida and west to Texas
- Wildlife Value:
- Its flowers are pollinated by flies and beetles. Its fleshy fruits are eaten by songbirds, wild turkeys, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, black bears, and foxes. Pawpaws are larval host plants for the Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus). The adult butterflies lay eggs in the north during two flights between April and August and in the south between March and December.
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Edibility:
- Fruits are sweet and can be used raw or cooked
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Open
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- 1- to 3-inch long cylindric yellow-green fruits mature to dark brown. Displays from July to September.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 3/4 inch brownish-purple, fleshy, bell-shaped, six-petaled flowers are borne singly in leaf axils before leaf emergence. May have a mildly unpleasant odor. Blooms from April to May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Dark green 3-6 inch long leaves are obovate to oblanceolate, base narrowly to broadly cuneate, margins barely revolute, apex acute to acuminate. Young leaves covered with a rusty down maturing to glabrous except for hairs along the veins. Faintly fetid.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Lenticels
- Bark Description:
- Smooth, gray-brown, with warty lenticels.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Smooth/Hairless
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Only 1 terminal bud, larger than side buds
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Orange-brown to red-brown stems mature to brown.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Small Tree
- Understory Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
