Pawpaw are slower growing trees just like many nut trees. We are seeing huge improvements as more domesticated types are developed. The original pawpaws we grew up eating had very specific needs , growing along the waters edge in mostly filtered sunlight and shade in very fertile soil. The good news is that many states forestry services now offer discounted pawpaw trees for $1 or $2 each, and you can graft a better variety to them later or stick with the wild type. I bring this up because i dont blame you for being frustrated trying to get pawpaw started. Getting some in the ground growing is very important if your 20 or 50 years old so you can enjoy as many years as possible enjoying the fruits of your labor. The nurseries trying to sell these trees either tend to sell them very large or very small depending on demand of the trees. Pawpaw is a tree only starting to be domesticated. Persimmons are about 50 -75 years ahead of pawpaw thanks to the works of several individuals. They are both in the infancy of domestication. Here is my own personal experience growing them as an adult
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