paw paw tree (forum)

lynn starts with ...
was wondering if you can help me out ....how does one tell the sex of a paw paw tree i have just bought myself 2 paw paw trees but not sure on how to tell which one is male or female and is it the female that bears the fruit ? thanking you Lynn

Time: 3rd November 2007 4:55pm

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lynn says...
hi well my trees are only very small still in there little black pots which i got from a garage sale i enjoyed reading your notes and thank you for your help take care Lynn

ps one will just have to wait and see what happens

Time: 7th November 2007 7:11pm

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Beth says...
We have paw paw trees with some lovely looking fruit, but do not know when to pick. Still very green, but have noted some small fly buzzing around - are they getting to the fruit befor us?

Time: 10th May 2008 5:25pm

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About the Author Beth
Sunshine Coast Qld
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Michael Washum says...
I live in the extreme southern part of the United States. It only gets cold in Dec, Jan , Feb. Can Paw Paws trees grow in the south? Whats the best way to plant them? And how do I go about careing for the trees?

Time: 18th June 2008 10:26pm

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Lilian says...
I don't have a photo but have a self-seeded pawpaw with very large green fruit which has been on the tree for ages, I don't know what to do with it,maybe someone has an idea of what type it is or what to use it for. The fruit looks very rough.

Time: 2nd November 2008 12:27pm

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About the Author Lilian
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Ellen says...
Lilian

You can either use it raw (while it is in the green state but big fruit) but you have to prepare it for a salad, as the Asian does.

Or you can eat it as a fruit, just leave it on the tree as is, when it is ripe, it will then turn its color from green to yellow . Then you pick it, cut it into long strip of wedges according to its shape, & peel the layer of seeds off it, enjoy .

Or you can use for soup - this you use the fruit while it is in the green /raw state . Although you need some preparation before it can be cook in the soup .

As for what type of paw paw you currently have, that only you can tell, There are quite a few varieties that are self pollinating .
I am sure with the world at your finger tips, you can do a bit of looking up to find the variety that you have.

Time: 3rd November 2008 8:26am

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About the Author Ellen
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Deels says...
I have a male paw paw tree. It has produced fruit. Can this fruit be used for cooking?

Time: 26th January 2010 1:02pm

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Wayne says...
Hi Deels
Lucky you,male trees do sometimes produce fruit, as far as I know you eat them the same way.

Time: 26th January 2010 1:51pm

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jim says...
Hi, we have a nice pawpaw tree out the back and it has heaps (like 20+) fruit on it. If we want it to produce bigger fruit (all of them are the size of a fist it seems) should we remove some and let the plant put its energy into producing fewer bigger ones? We have taken some off (just before the possums get to them) when they are starting to ripen and let them ripen on the bench.

ANy ideas?

Cheers,
James

Time: 14th May 2010 1:20pm

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jim says...
Hi, we have a nice pawpaw tree out the back and it has heaps (like 20+) fruit on it. If we want it to produce bigger fruit (all of them are the size of a fist it seems) should we remove some and let the plant put its energy into producing fewer bigger ones? We have taken some off (just before the possums get to them) when they are starting to ripen and let them ripen on the bench.

ANy ideas?

Cheers,
James

Time: 14th May 2010 1:20pm

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Abbbeeyyy says...
Hello, how tall do these grow my class is in the competiton for the wetlands can they grow over 10m tall

do you have any ideas?
cheers,
abbbeeyyy

Time: 10th August 2010 4:13pm

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About the Author Abbbeeyyy
Australia
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Wayne says...
Hi Ab----------
They will not grow 10M tall in this country, we had a poster from Hawaii who grew extremely tall Pawpaws compared to ours, they grew to about 8M by memory

Time: 10th August 2010 5:49pm

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Milan says...
I would like to ask the question, I have 2 Paw Paw Trees 1 is Bisexual and the otherone in the photo is not and is also baring fruit for the first time. I planted the trees over 8 months ago they are about 3m high and I'm afraid they are higher than the fence line. How can I stop them growing to high without causing any harm to the plant. A lot of people have told me that putting a tin on the top shoots should do it. I would be greatful for your advice.

Wishing you all a Safe and Happy New year for 2011.

Milan
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Time: 27th December 2010 5:09pm

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Wayne says...
Hello Milan
It would seem that your trees could be growing tall looking for light so no matter what you do you will always have that problem. You can cut the trees back to say a meter above the ground, place a tin over the top and let them shoot, but you will loose this years fruit. The tree in the photo is bisexual and looks to me as if it could well be a red one, lucky you.
May I suggest you leave them as is and plant replacement trees in more sunlight, provided you have the room of course

Time: 28th December 2010 7:21am

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Milan says...
I have attached 2 photos of my paw paw Trees nearly 1 month on and they have gone crazy with growing even higher since December last year.
I have cropped the top at just over 3.5m and placed a tin can over the top as some of the old timers have told me to do.
My question is as I have capped the crown will this have any adverse affect on the tree itself and if not what will it do.

Thank you

Milan from Boondall Qld
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Time: 29th January 2011 4:28pm

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peter says...
hi milan,
the tins only purpose is to stop
water getting into the cut trunk
and rotting it.

Time: 29th January 2011 6:21pm

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Milan says...
Peter thank you for your comments but will the tree stop growing upwards. I have not touched the trunk only the new shoots (leafs)at the top. Or do I just take the tin off.

regards

Milan

Time: 30th January 2011 6:41pm

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peter says...
the trunk of a pawpaw is hollow so
when the top gets cut off it exposes
the hollow part and the tin gets put
over it to keep the water out.

if you have only rubbed of the cluster of new small leaves at the top and not exposedthe hollow you do not need the tin. as for growth ide expect that the next branch down will become a growing tip and the tree will keep growing.
leave it a while to see and if it does
and you want to keep it to 3.5mtrs
then lop off the trunk a bit further
down which will encourage branhing
further down the trunk.










leave it for a while to see if it does
and then if you do want to keep the hieght to3.5 mtrs then you could lop
off the trunk a bit further down
which will encourage brunch further
down the trunk.

Time: 30th January 2011 7:08pm

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peter says...
where has the edit button gone?

Time: 30th January 2011 7:14pm

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Brendan says...
Hi Peter, if you've ran a pc cleaner on your pc, it removes some id. See your 'UserID' is 0, you'll have to add more id, like email address etc, then the Edit button will return. (I think).

Time: 31st January 2011 9:10am

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Ken Foyn says...
I live in a sub tropical area paw paws thrive here,but for large fruit there must be a male tree close bye.
Male fruit i peel cut into pieces and boil until soft then add turmeric sugar
real butter pinch of nutmeg and mash the lot, tastes like pumpkin.
Female fruit turns yellow when ripe
just rotate it to remove from tree.
I agree with peter on looking after the trees.
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Time: 11th April 2011 5:41pm

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snottiegobble says...
One of the tastiest salads i have had was from a stall at Parap Parap market in Darwin, it consisted of unripe pawpaw, avocado, peppers & different spices, Yumm!

Time: 14th April 2011 12:26am

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About the Author snottiegobble
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pale ale says...
Hi, I have a paw paw with lots of small fruits. Should I pick off the majority of little ones to let some others grow to a decent size. They are all smaller than my fist.
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Time: 22nd June 2011 6:31am

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Brendan says...
Hi pale ale,
I wouldn't, try feeding it some good organic fertilizer like 'super growth' or 'terrafoska te', some dolomite AND gypsum, and lots of mulch, then water all that. You should be sick of eating pawpaws after that.

Where are you?

Time: 22nd June 2011 6:56am

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Wayne says...
Nice looking tree pale ale, from personal experience I would follow Brendans advice

Time: 22nd June 2011 7:47am

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snottiegobble says...
pale ale, it is important that you include your whereabouts on the forum because Brendan & Wayne are probably only guessing that you are in a warm climate due to the bright sunshine in your photo.
Further south there is little chance of the fruit ripening in winter!

Time: 22nd June 2011 5:27pm

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Wayne says...
Very good point SG

Time: 22nd June 2011 5:34pm

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Mike says...
The term paw paw is also used for an amercican custard apple and sometimes applied to the yellow 'papaya' and reds keep the papaya name.The maled just have the long flower stalks,females have 1 or 2 large fat flowers in the culm and bisexuals several small flowers in the culm.When you grow seeds from bisexuals around 20% to 40% usually turn out male or female and the rest bisexual.Reds are usually sweeter with less turpsy taste and are greatly favoured where they occur together.Unfortunately they are less cold tolerant.Aussie reds,solos,NG tits,dwarf thais and a host of other excellent ones and newly deveoped varieties are out there.Some trees have lots of tiny fruit and no matter what you do it seems to continue.I have had these a few times.Fruit are better when the tree gets lots of sun,is picked not too early and has good mulch and fertliser.They are veryu prone to fungal diseases and new GE ones overseas have been bred to be fungus free.

Time: 22nd June 2011 7:14pm

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snottiegobble says...
The term "pawpaw" is actually a misnomer when it refers to the papaya. The true pawpaw belongs to the genus Asimina along with cherimoya, soursop, & custard apple. & is the largest fruit to grow in North America.
Our papaya (pawpaw) is one of the Caricas & produces papain which is valuable in combating pancreatic disease, skin eruptions & as an aid to tenderizing meat. Papayas leaves are known for their cancer fighting qualities.'Cousins' Mountain Papaya & Babaco also contain papain along with other caricas.


Time: 22nd June 2011 7:48pm

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Mike says...
Yes snottie and Carica papaya is used as a meat tenderiser,cooked vegie when half ripe,in green asian salads and the seeds can be used a pepper substitute.The commercial ones must be bred for transport with thick skin and the yellow ones in particular put people off the fruit.They often get a big surprise when they try a backyard red for the first time.

Time: 22nd June 2011 7:54pm

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ringelstrumpf says...
I would like to buy a paw paw tree, I mean these American ones. I once bought seeds and it didn't work out either they didn't come up or the slugs got them.

Time: 22nd June 2011 7:56pm

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Mike says...
I think someone in the choko thread has them.Was it Phil? That is a picture at the start of that thread.I initially thought it was a sicana photo.They are supposed to be extremely cold hardy, like -20 or something crazy like that.

Time: 22nd June 2011 8:03pm

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Yes I have about fifty of them germinating atm, easy enough to buy on eBay at the right time of the year from the US - I do have some seedlings from named varieties, mostly listed in the "My Edibles" pages.
I find them very easy to germinate but kinda slow to establish. Hoping I have enough winter chill here to initiate flowering. And you're right Mike, the cut fruit of the sicana vine looks very much like the paw paw in cross section.
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Time: 22nd June 2011 8:37pm

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pale ale says...
Wow, thanks everyone for the interest.
I am in Karratha, we have very hot summers and the winter temps are mid 20's.
This tree was grown from seed purchased off ebay and is only 1 year old.
I will take the advice and add to the soil as it is growing in hard crusty iron ore at present.
What a great forum!!! Will have to get you experts to sort out my mango problem next :)


Time: 23rd June 2011 2:32am

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Brendan says...
Glad to help pale ale, Wayne and a few others know about mangoes!

Btw, what is an American pawpaw? I grow 'normal' pawpaws here, yellow flesh, (not papayas, which are red inside), I think mine are Queensland pawpaws :-)

Time: 23rd June 2011 6:54am

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
They are a cold tolerant member of the custard apple family - grow almost to the Canadian border and down through the southern US

http://www.petersonpawpaws.com/

They have a real cult following amongst rare fruit growers, very few trees of bearing age in Australia as yet

Time: 23rd June 2011 10:12am

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Jason says...
Yeah they grow all the way from somewhere around New Yorks latitude to the hot swamps of Louisiana. It's probably fairly important to get seed from a climate similar to your own. I've been trying off and on to grow these things for over 10 years but just can't get them to grow. I've had more than 100 seedlings over the years too so it's not like I haven't given it a good shot :)?

Time: 23rd June 2011 12:05pm

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About the Author Jason
Portland
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Mike says...
Not to be confused with Amercan Asimina it is just marketing that nominates (C.papaya) yellows as paw paws and the reds as papaya.They will always be paw paws here and the american name won't stick.Reds are usually more tropical with a higher brix and are more prized by the fruit consumer for the flavour but there are lots of mixed forms.

Time: 23rd June 2011 4:28pm

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ringelstrumpf says...
Phil, what did you do to germinate them? Heat? We're in the mountains maybe it was too cold. How long do they take to germinate?
We cannot grow the papaya-pawpaw here it is too cold.
So I might try to start seedling a second time.

Time: 23rd June 2011 5:40pm

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
I find a couple of months in the vegetable crisper first (already planted in seedraising mix/pots if you're not worried about hygiene issues or you have a spare fridge) then taken out in spring and left to germinate in a shady spot always works. Interestingly here in the subtropics they germinate well in autumn too. I also find the seedlings transplant into the garden better when actively growing rather than dormant, as long as you can keep the water up to them. Best to leave in supertubes for their first twelve months and plant out in year two.

Time: 23rd June 2011 11:14pm

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John Mc says...
I did similar to Phil, I put them in the fridge for 3 months, apparently it's of utmost importance to not let them dry out. Pot them up in Spring and watch them germinate. I had 100% success rate from a dozen seeds I bought off a guy from Ebay in America. I don't know if my climate is going to be cold enough, but they have all gone dormant already, or died, one or the other. I'll take Phils advice and transplant them in spring when or if they start to grow again.

Time: 25th June 2011 9:56pm

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Mike says...
John, while you're around did you see the list of seeds I have and were any of interest? You already have a few of them like black sapote and naranjilla.

Time: 25th June 2011 10:16pm

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
John they can also be very slow to come into leaf, sometimes not until Oct/Nov so don't give up on them or presume they are dead. Glowinski recommends planting out at budburst but I find in this climate that a bit later seems to give them a kick along and they don't stress as much, even waiting until the new growth firms up a little. They don't take dry weather too well when young and can frizzle in full sun - keep them in filtered light and dampish over the summer.

Time: 26th June 2011 9:42am

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