I never really new much about paw paws and after seeing them in videos they never really looked very enticing. I’m big on crunch and textures.
I managed to taste wild paw paw from a local University arboretum and I have to admit it was quite delicious. The flavor was sweet and rich with a tropical flavor reminiscent of pinapple. The creamy texture was out of my comfort zone but I didn’t mind it at all. I kept the seeds and the university provided me with pamphlets describing how to grow out the seeds. They warned it could take 10-15 years to reach fruiting age. Not sure if immediately br alive at that point but I’ll sew the seeds none the less.
I asked about the variety and he said they were native paw paws that Neal Peterson stumbled upon back in the 70’s prior to him creating his paw paw dynasty. Needless to say I’m going back next week to shake the tree. Lol
Neither my daughter nor my wife cared for it too much. They said the texture was weird and it had an aftertaste. Different storms for different folks.
I had my first pawpaw this week too! I came across some HUGE patches at a local park and have a half dozen in the fridge right now. There are a lot of mixed reviews out there of wild pawpaw taste but I was very pleasantly surprised. Taste was like a banana but “fruitier” if that makes sense.
Is really 10 to 15 years from seed to fruit? I planted some seeds a year and a half ago, and one of them is already over 5’ tall. Some of the fruiting plants I came across in the woods were barely taller than that. I was really hoping to get fruit within the next two years.
I’m glad the flavor was pleasing.That’s some great growth,Doug.It has taken about four years for mine to achieve that height.Yours could fruit in a couple of years.
I’m visiting near Fremont,CA right now and will be looking to get some from a guy,with a few trees in his backyard.They are the only ones I’ve tasted and liked them a lot. Brady
Are the comercial paw paws like Allegheny and Shenandoah superior in flavor to the native paw paws I tried? The ones I tried were quite small. Reading about the cultivars make them sound much larger. Just curious about taste.
All pawpaws are fairly similar in taste, but there are differences. Also the bitterness tends to be lower in the bred ones. Of course size is a major difference.
Re: the different reactions to the taste, there must be some compounds in pawpaws on the border of undesirable and everyones reaction to them is different. I am the only person in my family that likes them.
Sort of like some veggies. Certain squash, asparagus, okra, and a few more hit my gag reflex. I think it’s natures way of avoiding food we shouldn’t eat even though those are eatable. And the basis is probably genetic but could be a learned response.
I just picked some wild pawpaws and took them to work, where no one had ever tried them. The reaction was mixed but extreme in every case and quite fun. Some people thought they were wonderful, while others literally spit them out as if they were on fire! haha. It is interesting to see the mixed responses…everyone was one end of the spectrum or the other (love or hate) and no one was just lukewarm. ha.
These wild paw paws were small compared to some of the pictures I’ve seen of the cultivars.
I saved 5 seeds but after reading the UK seeding tutorial it sound like it’s not that easy due to the long taproot being fragile. I think I might just bury them
Went on a pawpaw hike yesterday, and met with great success. They’re plentiful right now if you know where to look. You can see that a few approach the size of domesticated varieties, but most are much smaller. I like the ones that are turning brown the best; they acquire a bit of a maple syrup flavor.
I know this has been asked 100 times already, but what do pawpaws taste like? I read the other day that they’re related to soursop (guanabana) that grow in tropical climates. Is there anyone on here who has tried both and can comment on the similarities/differences?
I loved soursop when I lived in Venezuela. It’s a great filler for smoothies to get a creamier texture. I always thought they tasted like a natural version of Starburst candy. The texture of soursop is pretty slimy though, I can see why some wouldn’t like it.
I haven’t had soursop, so I can’t compare to that. Everybody says mango/banana, but I think the closest flavor is pineapple, with more pineapple taste the softer it becomes. In the background, there’s something of banana/vanilla flavor as well. And whatever turns some of them brown gives it a maple flavor that I really like.
I also ate my first paw paw today, having ordered them from Integration Acres. Excellent fruit, good service. I ate a couple, which tasted like melon/pineapple with a little vanilla, but a richer flavor than that description provides. I’ve got some seedlings from England’s orchard seeds that are slow growing. Looks like I’ll be lucky to get two to three feet in two years. I’m jealous @Bigdoug03.
I’m not sure if I did something special or if I just got lucky. We got a tremendous amount of rain this year I think that really helped.
One question I have about pawpaws: Are they able to adapt to some wind? I’m growing them in the most sheltered spot I have, but we are in a pretty windy area. Everything I read stresses they should be grown in “sheltered locations.”
Allegheny is my favorite. It has a superior texture and flavor. Texture like custard meets papaya meets avacado. Taste sweeter than most, reminiscent of cantaloupe and bananas. The sometimes funky pawpaw aftertaste is muted in Allegheny. Beautiful orange-yellow color inside. Fruits on the small side, which I prefer. Fruits shaped more like an egg than a potatoe.
Shenandoah is different but another good one. Pale yellow custardy flesh with a mild banana pudding-like flavor. Classic potatoe-like shape. Medium size.
The trees are spindly and can take a stiff wind and bounce back.
You are on the edge of where pawpaws will survive (Zone 6a). If your winter is cold enough (below negative 20 degrees F) it can kill the trees outright, not to mention any seeds trying to germinate. The dessicating winds at exposed locations make it even colder and inhospitable for pawpaws in marginal zones.
I tried planting dozens of seeds at my sister’s place in Zone 6a near the PA/NY border the fall before the terrible winter of 2013/2014. I planted them in optimal spots and conditions. None of them survived or germinated. That winter was just too cold for those little guys to get a toe-hold.
I’m still a bit confused about where to plant my Paw Paw trees. I went ahead and dropped the money to get two that will be 5-6 feet on delivery supposedly this October. I have a spot where i have some Gum trees a nice size Oak and a couple dozen Pines right along a wet area in the middle of my property. I am sure they will like the wetness of the location as it is nearly as wet as where i planted some Weeping willows and the willows are absolutely thriving. They have put 5-7 feet on this year from a three foot tall diseased tree I cut down to the healthy remaining foot and it just went wild. My question is will it be fine if the Paw Paw only get 3-5 hours sun a day? I see everywhere these trees love the shade but then I see they like the sun??? I really don’t want to be involved in transplanting or covering from the sun a 40 dollar tree. Any good guidelines as to sun preference for decent productivity and longevity of the trees?? If i get a good crop i will probably sell some since you almost never see them anywhere for sale I’m sure could get something from the Old fellow down the road with his roadside produce shop. He would most likely sell them first day so they would still be good. Otherwise a smallish crop would be fine for personal consumption. Can you freeze them? Or dehydrate for consumption later?
