Paw paw tree flowering free#

Are drought tolerant but prefers deep fertile free draining soil.

Will grow quite happily in poorer soils as long as they are not waterlogged. The tree is not particularly picky about soils and conditions but is often difficult to transplant. Naturally grows in a cool tropical-subtropical climate with annual temperatures between 12-18 Soil Protect from the wind and frost while young. They do grow their best in humid conditions.

Paw paw tree flowering full#

While the tree is most often found naturally in shady conditions, it performs well in full sun once established. One tree may produce up to 50-60 fruits per season. You can also use as a meat tenderiser, it can be made into deserts, added to ice-cream, or to savoury dishes, such as soup or stew. It can be eaten fresh or cooked, usually baked or boiled. There has been talk that the leaves have cancer fighting properties. Unripe fruits can be eaten as a vegetable but ripe fruits always contain more vitamins and minerals. Choose an area where leaf drop is not an issue. Highly ornamental as a sub-tropical planting around the courtyard where the aroma from the fruit can be appreciated. If all goes as planned you’ll soon see tiny clusters of pawpaw fruits just beginning to form.Native to South America and is commonly found growing around mountain villages, hence its name. Be sure to get it right on those receptive stigmas and be liberal with how much pollen you spread.Ĥ. You then move this pollen to a different tree’s flowers that are still in the female stage of flowering. When you first begin hand pollinating you’ll want to take your paint brush or cotton swab and get it nice and covered in pollen. Next the male flowers open and begin shedding pollen.

They will remain like this for a few days, receptive to pollen from other trees.ģ. When they first open they’ll be in the female stage of flowering with the little green stigmas sticking up above the still unopened male flowers. When hand pollinating, recognizing the different stages of pawpaw flowers is an important key detail to know. Pawpaw trees are self-incompatible meaning that the pollen from one variety will not fertilize the ovaries and create fruit on that same tree which is why at least two different varieties are needed for Pawpaws to set fruit.Ģ. But there are a few things you’ll need to know first:ġ. So for those of you that are antsy to taste those delicious Pawpaw fruits, hand pollination can be an easy solution. This could be due to a lack of pollinators or simply not enough pollen and genetic diversity. Homegrown Pawpaw gardens might only have a few varieties planted as opposed to a native forest that has dozens or hundreds of pawpaw trees and thousands of flowers! We’ve heard from many gardeners that their trees produce plenty of flowers but seem to never get pollinated. This unique pollination strategy is also the key to getting your pawpaws pollinated! Planting phacelia and mints won’t bring the pollinators in for pawpaws but rotting fruit and other food scraps might do the trick!Įven though it appears that a wide variety of beetle and fly species visit the flowers, much research is still to be conducted on which frequent the flowers most. These insects are far more attracted to the scent of yeast, rot and fermentation than they are to some sweet sugary cherry blossom. Rather than the various native and imported bees that most gardeners try to attract to their garden for pollination, the Pawpaw is pollinated by various fly and beetle species. It’s more akin to something rotting, which is just what the pollinators of pawpaws prefer! They are a deep purplish maroon color and the fragrance is…well, not something you might want to revisit over and over again like a jasmine blossom. Pawpaw flowers are a different beast entirely. The Pawpaws unique flowers don’t resemble anything like the fragrant and dainty rose family flowers that most fruit trees in the temperate world produce.

Pawpaw pollination is a subject we receive many questions about each year.