A gold mine of pawpaw history and data, 1900-1970. Best viewed on a laptop or desktop screen size.
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What a neat time capsule! And that tree on the cover… gorgeous.
Interesting to read about the Asimina crosses - Trigustifolia/Trilobovata (p 90). I wonder if the goal was more ornamental flowers with good fruit or just plain ol’ curiosity. Must not have been an improvement on the species since the crosses seem to have disappeared.
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I haven’t read that far in the document, but Neal Peterson has been crossing the Asimina species for several years. I don’t think any have been released.
Some are simply ornamental but there are some breeding goals he has pertaining to fruit production too.
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I have heard of this on a Facebook post but wasn’t able to track it down. Thanks for sharing Richard, I’ll get started on it soon.
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Very cool. Sounds like this may be a more recent endeavor, so maybe we’ll see some Asimina crosses as a consumer offering down the line. I did wonder when reading about these cultivars from 100+ years ago, how many -if any- are still extant.
I met Rosliand Creasy! A great gardener!
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The plot thickens 
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What was the date of the presentation?
BTW, the “Taylor” in that list is not the “Taylor” from C. Davis.
October 13, 2021:
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Here is his 2003 article with the historical information derived from the 1974 CRFG Yearbook and other sources. Note the two “Taylor” cultivars - one in Fig. 1 and the other in Fig. 2.
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Famous garden writer. She as well as, Penelope Hobhouse. Great books from both ladies! We were on the same book tour.
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Wow, so it wasn’t that the Asimina crosses weren’t promising, but that they were lost after Zimmerman’s passing. How sad. Yet, I think it’s pretty inspiring that Zimmerman undertook such a project despite it being “later in [his] life.” Even if his pawpaws were lost, he made his mark on the science and understanding of this species.
I do hope to hear more about Neal Peterson’s interspecific hybrids!
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I had a brief conversation with Neal Peterson, regarding (Ketter & Fairchild) hybrids started by David Fairchild, which were given to & further worked on by Zimmerman, then a small portion of which were gifted to Blandy Experimental Farm under Dr White.
When questioning Neal regarding the (Fairchild x Annonaceae) interspecific hybrids, he was more than kind of evasive.
He admitted to having been working on something, have long term health issues which interfered, then having recently made health improvements which are allowing him to pursue his goals.
But was evasive about what the goals were.
When I find something recent of reliable vetting on the topic, I will gladly share the information with you.
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Uncle Tom’s genetic material is not extinct.
The James A Little story & his books, including:
A Treatis on PawPaw
Are all embellished.
My grandmother’s great grandfather used to court one of James A Little’s daughters.
I know where seed originated from & when by whom.
How it was given to Uncle Tommy.
How Little knew the individual called Uncle Tommy.
Where Tommy’s tree was grown.
How James A Little got a root sucker from Tommy’s tree which became know as “Uncle Tom”.
Little’s sending of over 4,000 seeds to Simms a horticulturist outside of Portland.
Simms & J.A.Little collaboration at breeding & improving “Uncle Tom”.
Simms seeking USDA funding for breeding of seedlings of “Tom” & other cultivars.
Sending of genetic material, cuttings & seeds to Ballard at Maryland Horticulture Research Station by both (Simms & Little).
How, when, plus in what seeds & suckers where transported to James A Little’s new home & other locations in California & Utah during winter.
General location of James A Little’s massive planting area in Utah.
The fact that the under ripe 7oz fruit claimed to be “Uncle Tom” by James Little in 1916 contest, after James death, was actually from his son’s “Uncle Tom” seedling growing in Utah.
The location of DNA related trees is most likely an insider secret of the BYU agricultural department who made James Little’s planting area a preserve owned by the University. Plus they highered an Asimina Triloba expert from another University to over see their Triloba improvement program.
I know much more, however, this is enough of an information spill.
The tree is inferior to Susquehanna!!!
So nothing more than historical minutiae trivia.
I have heard such claims before, of many different fruits. Speaking of which, what other backyard fruits do you grow?
The location gets just as hot as Tucson, however, is dryer, yet gets 2" more rain, plus is slightly colder in winter. It is a Forever Wild mesquite forest.
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I will be growing Asimina Triloba with grapes under the mesquite for shade & humidity.
I’m choosing grapes because like pawpaw they are symbiotic with yeast.
I will also attempt Botrytis Cinerea symbiosis on some grape cultivars.
As far as Botrytis Cinerea, it is capable of stimulating glycosides in some plants.
Glycosides are often medicinal as well as being up to a thousand times as sweet as sugar.
Annonaceae have an greater natural ability to produce glycosides than Vitis Vinifera.
I’m hope to establish Botrytis Cinerea symbiosis with (Asimina Triloba & Annona Reticulata Fernandez), which is near seedless, plus their interspecific hybrids.
Left is Fernandez & right San Pablo parent.
Just because a microbe is classified as a symbiotic microbe & is present, doesn’t mean that the relationship is a symbiotic one.
Most microbes have multiple quorum sensing states: (Dormant, Benign Active, Symbiotic, Invasive Pathogenic).
Invasive microbes like Botrytis Cinerea can be stimulated to be symbiotic, ones like anthracnose & canker to become Benign, plus some symbiotic microbes to even synergistically empower Invasive ones to be pathogenic!
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I stumbled accross a video on Youtube in which he presented a lecture in 2014. Towards the end of the video he speaks a bit about the crosses and his goals. I though this might interest you: https://youtu.be/K5BN0FxMV3c
There are lessons to be learned in the changes of observations and perceptions over time.