Its known for its large edible fruit, tropical appearance, and colorful fall foliage.
The fruit has a sweet, exotic flavor that can be described as a mixture of banana and mango.
Its smooth, custard-like consistency is similar to avocado.
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Pawpaw trees can be challenging to find in many nurseries and garden centers.
Heres everything you better know about growing and caring for pawpaw trees.
However, pawpaws benefit from more specialized care when cultivated for their fruit.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Here are the main growing requirements for pawpaws.
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A bright, partially shaded area during the afternoon is also a great option.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Alight layer of mulchevery year is a great way to maintain the soil health while helping retain water.
Water
Pawpaw trees thrive with consistently moist soil.
Its especially important to keep young trees properly watered, as they are more prone to drying out.
They are hardy inUSDA zones 5 to 9and can easily tolerate seasonal temperature fluctuations.
However, newly planted saplings can benefit from regular fertilization during their first growing season.
Types of Pawpaw
There are many cultivated varieties of pawpaw trees available.
As with most trees and shrubs, never trim more thanone thirdof the growth at a time.
Pruning too aggressively can risk the tree’s health and may halt or significantly lower fruit production.
Grafting pawpaws is a relatively advanced and complicated process typically completed at nurseries but not by most average gardeners.
Growing pawpaws from seed is straightforward and simple, so most growers prefer this method.
Here are the steps to grow pawpaws from seed.
As a result, they do not require any specialized care to survive the harsh winter weather.
Powdery mildew, in particular, can affect these native trees.
Affected pawpaw trees can be treated with a fungicide like neem oil or copper.
Pests arent usually a problem for pawpaw trees, but there are a couple to watch out for.
Many animals are also known to enjoy pawpaws delicious fruit.
Common Problems With Paw Paw Trees
Pawpaw trees are considered relatively low-maintenance once established.
However, you may encounter a few common problems while your tree matures.
To figure out why your pawpaw tree is developing yellow leaves, some further investigation will be required.
This involves transferring pollen from one flower to another using a small brush.
Pawpaw trees dont start producing fruit until maturity.
Generally, it takes between four to eight years before a pawpaw tree will start producing fruit.
Pawpaw trees have a distinct smell that can be bothersome to some growers.
It is often described as smelling like rotting meat or fermenting fruit.
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