Asimina triloba
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ah-SIH-min-ah trih-LO-bah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Asimina triloba, commonly called pawpaw, is a deciduous tree that may grow 20 to 30 feet tall. The leaves are alternate and produce pungent odor when crushed. The bark is smooth with wart-like lenticels. In spring, 6-petaled, purplish-brown flowers mature. The small tree produces a 2.5- to 4-inch fruit that matures in late summer to early fall. The fruit resembles a short, fat banana in size and taste.
Wildlife eagerly seek out the fruits and often beat humans to the harvest.
Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating.
Seasons of Interest:
Leaves: Fall Blooms: Early spring, spring Nut/Fruit/Seed: Late summer, fall
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Allegheny'
- A. parviflora
Small-flower, or Dwarf pawpaw - 'Davis'
- 'Mango'
- 'NC-1'
- 'Overleese'
- 'Potomac'
- 'Shenandoah'
- 'Sunflower'
- 'Susquehanna'
- 'Wabash'
- 'Allegheny'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Allegheny'
- A. parviflora
Small-flower, or Dwarf pawpaw - 'Davis'
- 'Mango'
- 'NC-1'
- 'Overleese'
- 'Potomac'
- 'Shenandoah'
- 'Sunflower'
- 'Susquehanna'
- 'Wabash'
- 'Allegheny'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Asimina
- Species:
- triloba
- Family:
- Annonaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Early Americans made yellow dye from pulp of the ripened fruit.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada and U.S.A., NC
- Distribution:
- WA south to NM, NE, IA. Parts of WI, MI east to ME, south to FL
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Edible flesh fruit becomes soft and custard-like sweet taste similar to bananas. Fruits eaten by sondgbirds, wild turkeys, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, black bear, and foxes.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Resistant to fire and moderately resistant to damage from deer.
- Edibility:
- Raw berries in small quantity. Stomach/skin irritation in some.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Tree
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Edible flesh fruit becomes soft and custard-like sweet taste similar to bananas, very nutritious.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Monoecious purplish-brown 6 petal 1-1.5 inch flowers.
-
-
Leaves:
- 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:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, obovate to oblong 5-11 inches long 2-3 inches wide with a green pepper odor when crushed.
-
-
Bark:
- Bark Description:
- Smooth, brown splotched with wart-like lenticels.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Fire
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Poisonous to Humans
