Wabash Pawpaw Asimina triloba 'Wabash'
- Phonetic Spelling
- ah-SIH-min-ah try-LO-buh
- Description
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Pawpaw is a small native deciduous tree. Plant in the full sun, to partial shade, though full-sun ensures adequate fruiting. Prefers well-drained, deep, slightly acidic fertile soil.
It will appear in clusters when planted in the understory, but it needs full sun to ensure fruiting. The pawpaw tree produces self-defensive compounds so that pests are usually not a problem. It is a slow-growing tree that needs several years to bear fruit. Fruits can be messy on hard surfaces, but plants do need a male and female to produce fruit so you can avoid this problem by planting only one plant. The plant is easily propagated by scarified seed that is sown in the fall.
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
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Wildlife Value:
- Larval host plant for Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) butterflies and Pawpaw sphinx (Dolba hyloeus) moths. Opossums, squirrels, raccoons and birds enjoy the fruits.
- Edibility:
- Wabash pawpaw produces very large sweet fruit. It is heavy bearing with great quality. Ripens in mid season.
- 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
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Broad
- Erect
- Multi-trunked
- Pyramidal
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- 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:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Very large, 6" long, cylindric sweet green to yellow berry. It is heavy bearing with great quality. Ripens in mid season. Several dark brown seeds inside.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Non-showy purple flowers born singly that hang down like a bell with 6 petals 1 1/2" across. Blooms in spring. Needs cross pollination to produce fruits.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Soft
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- It features alternate, simple, oblong-elliptic green tropical looking leaves. Tips are pointed base is narrow, entire margin, young leaves have rust colored hairs on the bottom, which smooth out and pale as they age. 12" long 6" wide. Showy yellow fall color.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Leaf Scar Shape:
- C-shaped, Cresent shaped
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heavy Shade
- Insect Pests
- Problems:
- Malodorous
- Messy
