My husbands great grandfather had several feral paw paw trees in Reno County. Rayl Hill. They hosted regular community dances and rumor has it many love birds snuck away to enjoy the fruit and the moonlight…
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Was that close to the little Arkansas or Arkansas?
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Arkansas, i believe the little arkansas is closer to sedgwick?
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I did not look at a map i was trying to remember which was in Hutchison and which was in Wichita. Think the little arkansas runs into the arkansas if i remember correctly.
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Since the patch of pawpaw are spreading rapidly it appears the micro climate created was successful.
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Hello. Did you succeed in growing any of the pawpaw varieties from Just fruits and Exotics?
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How about an update on your trees?
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It is very satisfying knowing i now have a bunch of established pawpaw. Any time someone says i cant do something, i find that i have done it. Hopefully this thread serves as inspiration for someone who is tired of being told something isn’t possible. Now that i have multiple varities of seedlings we will see what the future holds. One variety i grew and one variety my mom grew. I also got some from the state of Kansas forestry service which are still alive but far behind the ones we grew. I grew an upland type and it is growing on the hilltop and she grew a lowland type. The lowland pawpaw always have larger fruit. There are advantages to both but nether is domesticated. Wild types made the most sense for me just like clarks crabapple made since to grow from seed. Clark's Crabapple
The pawpaw in this photo i grew from seed that @39thparallel and i gathered. The fruit is from our secret spot where they grow wild. These pawpaw will be able to grow throughout Kansas when i finish the crosses. My pawpaw will likely have misshapen fruit since those unusual genetic characteristics are what allows it to live here in the open. I will cross it back with others later on. The shape below is typical of this type of upland x lowland cross at the location they came from in Kansas.
Since the site is a cross of upland and lowland pawpaw i really dont know which type they will look like as you can see from the box gathered below they grew from
These are river type pawpaw that been washed down stream from various places and grow in the rich fertile valleys that serve as flood plains.
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Explain for people what you mean by highland / lowland pawpaw. I find it interesting and have never heard anyone else them describe that way.
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Upland and lowland pawpaw are called that because of where each type likes to grow. Upland pawpaw dont need as much water and are much smaller than the lowland type… The lowland pawpaw can be 6"- 8". Leaves like the fruit are different as well. Upland pawpaw dont have the huge leaves.
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Interesting. I guess I am just familiar with the riverbank varieties. Were those pictures recent, I mean do you already have some varieties ripening? That would be earlier than I’ve ever heard of.
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No there are none ripening until September. Yes the riverbank types are lowland pawpaw. The upland pawpaw can be grown anywhere. Many types now are a cross of the two types. My family has grown pawpaw for over hundreds of years i know of and they distinguish between the two. In the hollers the lowland types grow in microclimates throughout Arkansas and Missouri and other more southern climates. The upland pawpaws they always grew close around their houses. This is exactly how i do it. That being said i have a lot to learn about tame pawpaw i know very little about them. Wild pawpaw i understand as good as anyone can i think. As an example lowland pawpaw typically spread quickly through the roots popping up all over. Upland pawpaw i have never seen spread by their roots they are grown from a single seed. Kansas varities i have seen follow those rules even though they are a hybrid of lowland and upland traits. Upland pawpaws can be very tiny in comparison to the lowland types that get huge. I suspect named types are hybrids. I dont know that yet.
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I never thought of there being a difference.
These pawpaws were found a couple years ago on a tree sitting over a rock ledge at the side of the road up higher on the bluff. Probably highland pawpaw? Maybe should try saving its seeds.
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I doubt that there is any real difference, genetically, between highland and lowland pawpaws. It is more likely a habitual difference since pawpaws change growth habits depending on the conditions of the habitat they are growing in (less sun = larger leaves and taller/lankier growth, more sun = smaller leaves and bushier growth). I’m sure there are differences based on water and soil conditions as well. They certainly don’t grow as well in thinner, less fertile soils and upland growth will be more limited each year based on rainfall received since they can’t rely as much on the more accessible water tables of the lowlands.
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Yes i would save some seed those are upland pawpaw.
Just genetic differences. I planted lowland pawpaw by my house all 30 died. They cant take the wind, cold etc. The upland pawpaws have no problems and they thrive. Pawpaw are pawpaw no different than people , tomatos or anything else. Some do better than others in some situations. Im the only one who can grow pawpaw in my area , they dont even grow wild. They will grow wild soon.
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Well, I remain skeptical, but I could certainly be wrong. It would be very interesting if that were the case that they are genetically distinct (subspecies?). I’d love to know if there is or has been any research done on this, as it would have big implications for choosing seeds to use as rootstock. Where I live, wild pawpaws are only found on lowland areas along rivers and creeks, but I was aware of the fact that pawpaws can also be found on upland sites further into their native range. I live on a hill top and planted many of my trees from seeds of those riverside, wild pawpaws. If upland seeds would grow better here, than that would be worth knowing.
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So… im looking to start Pawpaw on my oak/hickory woodland property in SE Kansas. Are you of you succesful local foragers willing to sell a few seeds?
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Either @39thparallel or myself should be able to give you some when they are in season. Welcome to the forum!
Seedlings can be purchased inexpensively from Kansas and Missouri Forestry service. I plan to collect a bunch of seed from wild pawpaw to use as rootstock in a couple years. If I were only growing out a few seeds, I would try procure them from improved named varieties. I might be able to help with that.
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