Asimina triloba 'Davis'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ah-SIH-mi-nah try-LO-bah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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The Davis pawpaw is a hybrid of the American pawpaw in the custard apple family (Annonaceae). it was found in the wild in Michigan and selected by Corwin Davis for its abundance of tasty fruit.
The tree grows 12 to 15 feet tall and is grafted to a rootstock. Plant the Davis pawpaw in full sun to partial shade in moist, fertile, well-drained soils. You will need to plant at least one other variety for cross-pollination. See this NC State article for more information on growing pawpaws.
The flowers bloom in mid-spring, and the fruit ripens in late September to early October. It is one of the earliest ripening varieties. The fruit is yellow-green to brownish with yellow flesh that combines a fruity, banana-like flavor with creamy, custard-like flesh.
Pawpaw does well in naturalized, riparian, or woodland areas. It is a flowering tree that attracts butterflies, pollinators, small mammals, and songbirds, which makes pawpaw a good addition to a butterfly, pollinator, or rain garden. It is an easy-to-grow fruit tree for children's gardens.
Quick ID Hints:
- Leaves produce a distinctive odor when crushed (similar to green bell peppers).
- Leaves large, alternate and distichous; they turn yellow in fall.
- Bark is smooth with wart-like lenticels
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. The pawpaw peduncle borer (Talponia plummeriana) is a small moth whose larvae burrow into flower stalks. They can destroy large numbers of flowers. This pest is in NC. The zebra swallowtail butterfly larvae feed on young leaves, but they seldom do permanent damage, nor do they affect fruit yield. Trees can produce root suckers, which can be troublesome in the landscape.
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape :
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Asimina
- Species:
- triloba
- Family:
- Annonaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Grafting
- 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).
- Edibility:
- The fruit is edible, but peel the fruit and do not consume the seeds.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 12 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- 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:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- 3 to 6 inch long fruits are greenish-yellow to brownish with creamy yellow flesh and a citrus -banana flavor.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Perfect (but self-incompatible). The purple-brown flowers bloom in spring but are not showy. They hav 6 petals and are 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. They have a foul odor and are pollinated by flies.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, obovate to oblong 6-12 inches long 2-3 inches wide with a green pepper odor when crushed. The leaves are in two ranks and hang pendulously from the stem. The leaf underside is pale and glaucous.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Lenticels
- Bark Description:
- Smooth, brown splotched with wart-like lenticels.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Scales:
- No scales, covered in hair
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
- Stem Description:
- Buds are pubescent with no scales. Young buds and stems are cinnamon brown.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heat
- Humidity
