Pawpaw Tree

Asimina triloba, or Pawpaw, is a small tree or large shrub that can grow to around 30 feet in the wild and is not to be confused with the tropical papaya, which despite also being known as the Pawpaw is a very definite tree reminiscent of a palm tree in height and shape! So if you are looking for a large tree that looks at home alongside a beach then you are in the wrong section. Then again, do you want a small tree that bears interesting deep reddish purple flowers in spring and glows like bright yellow sunshine in fall – a tree that, with a little prompting, can bear wonderful custardy fruits that look like squat bananas? Well, in that case the Pawpaw is the ideal tree for you. While it adds a bit of native interest to those spaces beneath trees where it can be shady, they are also at home in full sun; and when they produce fruits not only do these appeal to the creative baker and cook but they also provide a good source of nutrition for a wide range of animals.