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
-
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.
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
- 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
- Moist
- 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. Displays from August to October.
-
-
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 bloom from March to May.
-
-
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:
- Butterfly Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Fire
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Poisonous to Humans
