Pawpaw Trees

[MoLandOwner]

Does anyone have experience with this tree or the fruit it produces. I would like to try them in Missouri, but August can get hot and dry. Deer like them, and are they good to eat?

 

[kabic]

The only thing I know about paw paw is the town in Illinois I used to pass while driving to Peoria

 

[MoLandOwner]

If they grow in Illinois they should grow in Missouri one would think?

 

[kabic]

Assuming the town was named Paw Paw because of the tree, then yes.

Edit:

The name Paw Paw was derived from a nearby grove of Pawpaw trees on the edge of a 2,000-acre (8 km2) forest.

 

[chickenlittle]

I ordered paw paw seedlings from Missouri MDC this spring. Young seedlings need shade for a couple years. Later they can be in full sun.

 

[MoLandOwner]

I planted a bunch of persimmons in tubes in the open woods this past year. Plan is to get them to 3 years and transplant. So far so good, as long as the racoons leave the wasp nests in them alone. That can be a real pain in the A$$ when you walk out there and see a tube all chewed to hell!:mad:

 

[Jordan Selsor]

I have no first hand knowledge but have read up on them a bit... I would think that your shaded creek bottom would be a great place to try them

 

[buckvelvet]

I want to try a paw paw fruit, its looks interesting. They say they do have them in MI but I'm to noncommittal to try to grow one.

 

[greyphase]

I've planted a number of them over the years and have 7 or 8 that are bearing. They have been easy to grow here in southcentral Pa. I've tried eating a few but they are an "acquired" taste o_O. Some of mine are starting to send up suckers and forming a paw paw grove.
This pic are a couple of wild ones I found while fishing about an hours drive east of my home.

These are on the trees I planted.

Can't say for sure that the deer eat them but they don't lay on the ground long after they drop.

 

[buckvelvet]

I say a cam experiment is in order for these paw paw trees to view the culprit who is cleaning up aisle #3. :)

 

[j-bird]

I have many of them on my place. The deer never get them, because the coons get to them first. Even large trees don't produce many fruit maybe half a dozen tops. The trees themselves don't get big - more like a large shrub - large trunks get about the diameter of the handle on a baseball bat. The wood is real brittle and the coons damage the trees when they go after the fruit. I have eaten them before - some are good with like a custard type taste others are bitter and taste like ass when they are not quite ready! The fruit should be growing now - I saw a few a week ago or so on my place. You have to pick the fruit and let it "ripen" it will essentially turn black - doesn't look like anything you want to eat. You then peal the skin and the inside will be like a semi-rotten banana and they have several large dark seeds in them as well. They prefer sunlight and damp to wet feet in rich soil. All of mine are along stream banks, floodplains or wet drainages. I have sent some folks some seeds in the past - not sure what came of them. I may be able to get some more if interested - I would have to go see if I can beat the coons to them!

 

[buckvelvet]

From seed I'd deff try to grow a few.

 

[j-bird]

From seed I'd deff try to grow a few.

buck - just an FYI - the native range I found for paw-paw does NOT include MN.


I'll still try to find some if your still interested - just didn't want to see you put the work into these and they not survive for you.

Let me know if you still want some - I'll see if I can find some fruit - coons do a real good job finding them.

 

[buckvelvet]

I'm in Western Michigan. I don't get as cold as them darn MN guys but it still gets flipping cold. :)

 

[j-bird]

Ok - I can't read! I'm so used to everything being about MN and WI around here I mis-read your location - sorry about that. I'll see if I can find some and I will let you know - needed to go check the cam card anyway. If you want to try and eat one I can look into sending you the entire thing. Just make sure they are ripe - if it tastes good it's ripe it its bitter it isn't ripe! You want them to be black before to try to eat one.

 

[j-bird]

OK - finally something i can really contribute here. My side-kick and I went out tonight to pull the cam card and to look for paw-paws for some of you guys. Bad news.....cam card was blank:mad:, good news is I went to the area I always find paw-paws and we beat the coons to them:). I have about 15 fruits (which should hold a couple of seeds each or more). I found a "monster tree" it's trunk was as big around as a baseball bat barrel - and yes that is big for a paw-paw.

If anyone wants some - I need to know if you want the entire fruit (if you want to try and eat one) or just the seeds. I will make absolutely ZERO promises about these - they are paw-paw but that is all I am responsible for!

I will need a mailing address obviously as well.

Don't worry about shipping - I'll cover it. Just remember who your pal is when you hit the lotto:D



My side-kick here was pretty proud of herself crossing the creek and braving the heat, skeeters and stinging nettles!

 

[buckvelvet]

Yeehaw!

 

[Reagan]

I agree with J on everything. I have large groves on my land but rarely find fruits. Most of my trees produce nothing but when they do, the critters don't let them hit the ground.

I think you will need to grow them in shade. I have them on my ridge lines and in the "hollers".

 

[Native Hunter]

Mo, they are like apples - each one that comes from a seed is different and unique. So, like apples, some taste good and others don't. You can buy grafted cultivars of paw paw just like apples. I have Sunflower and Mango planted at home and getting my first small crops from each this year. I've seen some wild ones that were really good and some that tasted like ...............I won't say it....:D

 

[j-bird]

I agree with J on everything.

Can I get this chiseled in stone someplace?!? I need it to remind my wife!!!!:D