Common Pawpaw Asimina triloba
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ah-SIH-min-ah trih-LO-bah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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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 6-inch fruit that matures in late summer to early fall. The fruit resembles a short, fat banana in size and taste and is the largest fruit native to North America.
Colonial. Need more than one genetic strain for best fruit set. Good fall color (yellow).
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
Habitat: Alluvial forests, other moist, nutrient-rich forests
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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'Allegheny'
- A. parviflora
Small-flower, or Dwarf pawpaw - 'Davis'
- 'Mango'
Large fruit
Early ripening 'Overleese'
Big yellow-orange fruit with dark yellow flesh and few seeds 'Potomac'
One of the largest fruits 'Shenandoah'
One of the largest fruits 'Sunflower'
Latest ripening variety 'Susquehanna'
Large and late ripening 'Wabash'
Good productivity with large-sized fruit - A. parviflora
- 'Allegheny', A. parviflora, 'Davis', 'Mango', 'NC-1', 'Overleese', 'Potomac', 'Shenandoah', 'Sunflower', 'Susquehanna', 'Wabash'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
-
'Allegheny'
- A. parviflora
Small-flower, or Dwarf pawpaw - 'Davis'
- 'Mango'
Large fruit
Early ripening 'Overleese'
Big yellow-orange fruit with dark yellow flesh and few seeds 'Potomac'
One of the largest fruits 'Shenandoah'
One of the largest fruits 'Sunflower'
Latest ripening variety 'Susquehanna'
Large and late ripening 'Wabash'
Good productivity with large-sized fruit - A. parviflora
- 'Allegheny', A. parviflora, 'Davis', 'Mango', 'NC-1', 'Overleese', 'Potomac', 'Shenandoah', 'Sunflower', 'Susquehanna', 'Wabash'
- 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:
- 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:
- Flowers are pollinated by flies and beetles. Edible flesh fruit eaten by songbirds, wild turkeys, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, black bear, and foxes. This plant supports Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) larvae which has two flights between April and August in the north and many flights between March and December in the south. Adult Zebra Swallowtail butterflies feed on moisture from sand as well as flower nectar from plants like milkweed, blueberries, blackberry, lilacs, redbuds, verbenas, and dogbane.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Resistant to fire and moderately resistant to damage from deer.
- Edibility:
- Mature fruits have a banana custard flavor. Raw berries can be eaten in small quantities but can cause stomach/skin irritation in some people.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Pyramidal
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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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
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- 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. Glaucous surface. Displays from August to October. This plant needs a pollinator plant to set fruit.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- 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 bloom from March to May. Foul odor as they 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. Droops from the stem. Looks compound but is actually simple. 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 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
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Fire
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Malodorous
- Poisonous to Humans
