Asimina triloba 'Potomac'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ah-SIH-min-ah try-LO-buh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Pawpaw, is a native, understory deciduous tree in the pawpaw family (Annonaceae). The cultivar 'Potomac' is one of the larger varieties, with an upright growth habit, and noted for its mid-season fruit that can weigh up to 3/4 of a pound.
It typically grows best in well-drained, slightly acidic, fertile soil. The bark is smooth with wart-like lenticels. The leaves are alternate, produce a pungent odor when crushed and display a bright yellow fall color. In spring, 6-petaled, purplish-brown flowers mature. Flowers have both male and female parts but are self-incompatible. A genetically different pollen donor (a pollinizer) is needed for fruit production. Plant at least two cultivars that can act as reciprocal pollinizers. The tree produces a 2.5- to 6-inch fruit that matures in late summer to early fall. Hand pollination can lead to heavy fruit set, but fruit clusters should be thinned to one fruit per cluster to maximize fruit size and flesh-to-seed ratio. Wildlife eagerly seeks out the fruits and often beats humans to the harvest.
‘Potomac’ is noted for having large, fleshy fruits. The yellow flesh has a firm, smooth texture. Fruits average 8.3 ounces, and a single tree averages 45 fruits. Some growers have noticed the problem of fruit cracking.
Diseases, Insect Pests, 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.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered 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
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Early Americans made yellow dye from pulp of the ripened fruit.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Blandy Experimental Farm, Univ. of Virginia
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- 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.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Resistant to fire. Moderately resistant to deer damage. Heat tolerant.
- Edibility:
- Potomac pawpaw produces larger fruit than many cultivars and it is heavy bearing. The yellow fruit has a sweet and smooth taste. Mid season ripening.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Pyramidal
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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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:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- 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:
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Potomac pawpaw produces larger fruit than many cultivars and it is heavy bearing. The yellow fruit has a sweet and smooth taste. Mid-season ripening.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The burgundy flowers bloom in spring but are not showy. They are purplish brown with 6 petals and are 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. They have a foul odor as they are pollinated by flies.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- 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
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Fissured
- Lenticels
- Scaly
- Bark Description:
- Smooth, brown splotched with wart-like lenticels. Becomes fissured and scaly with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Scales:
- No scales, covered in hair
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Corky Ridges
- Stem Description:
- Buds are pubescent with no scales. Young buds and stems are cinnamon brown.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- 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:
- Black Walnut
- Deer
- Fire
- Humidity
- Insect Pests
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Poisonous to Humans
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Seeds and unripe fruit may cause stomach and intestinal pain. Be sure fruit is ripe before ingesting. Skin irritation from handling fruit. Do not consume leaves or stems.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- acetogenins
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Seeds
- Stems