I mostly just plant the seeds in the fall when I harvest the fruit. Most of them grow into plants. The biggest challenge is not stepping on them. I don’t have acreage, so I can’t grow unlimited numbers of pawpaws. I don’t know anything about blue stem, but as you can see, I live in OR. I’m curious and would love to hear about it.
John S
PDX OR
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There is some information about Blue Stem Disease,in this publication.
https://southcenters.osu.edu/sites/southc/files/site-library/site-documents/HORT/newsletters/pawpaw/NL_Sp17%20Volume%2017%2C%20issue%201%20spring%202017.pdf
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Thanks Brady. I have never experienced this problem. I hope never to experience it. Good descriptions. I’m guessing that just keeping the trees healthy will help to avoid the disease. I know that I sometimes have to give additional water in the summer due to our hot arid summers.
I’m also hoping that mulching, biochar and paying attention to the soil will help support the trees.
John S
PDX OR
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Then I’m sure my property has it - I seem to have every plant disease known to man.
Yeah after reading that article above, there are some definite things I recognize. Certainly the one stump above is blue as can be.
I have observed odd linear splits along branches here and that has me wondering/worrying too …
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Sorry to hear about that. I’d definitely keep the molding ones separate.
I did something different this past winter for stratifying. I cleaned the seed off really good with just my well water and put them in small plastic packets and submerged them in water. Then they went in the fridge for 5 months. When I removed them to start germinating I would say 2/3 of the packets had a thick blob in them that I can best describe as something like a kombucha scoby. There was no mold or nasty water whatsoever. So maybe some kind of good bacteria formed in there. Maybe mine will eventually mold like some of yours.
I’m trying to decide how I want to pot these up this year. The Stuewe 4x14s I have still reek despite outgassing in my garage for months. I may try some of the 4x10 Anderson pots and maybe a few of those root trapper bags that James Dingus uses.
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i guess this is part “Pawpaws in 2024!” since this is the puree from last fall but i finally got around to turning it into ice cream!
tried a little bit of strawberry balsamic glaze on it nom nom nom 
i bet pecans or a toasted coconut would go well with it too.
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Kentucky State Nursery has a bunch of graftable pawpaw rootstock in stock again today, guessing some people cancelled their orders?.., think it close to 7000 earlier and now 4800.
100 at $1 each plus shipping.
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‘Maybe blue stem disease in that top image? Especially with the cracking base.’
Looks to be the case!
Beware state nursery pawpaw trees. Very tempting I know. Results generally not good when used as rootstock.
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Blue Stem Disease (also called ‘Vascular Wilt’) is a VERY serious pawpaw disorder we still do not know a whole lot about. I am researching this hard right now, so any links are appreciated. I did see the one posted above. Infected trees will show cracking, especially on the north side. Demise is hastened drastically. Infested trees should be destroyed.
This is especially bad in the PNW but hits here in KY also.
Looks like this:
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I’ve seen it here as well. Mostly on the few trees I got from OGW. It may not be coincidence considering how prevalent it is in the Pac NW. Some have had the cankers and cracking early on, but eventually grow out of it. I should just pull and trash that Overleese of mine that I keep mentioning. The couple that I had die definitely had bluish green cambium when I cut them down low.
Blake, have you seen it on seedling trees or just grafted?
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Both seedlings and grafted.
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Can you tell us your experience with seeing trees 'grow out of it?"
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Here’s the Oregon paper.
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Well I can’t guarantee the cause, but a few years ago I had some smaller grafted trees develop cracking and cankers mostly on the north side.
Here’s my original post on the problem…
I pulled the Atwood. The Tallahatchie still has some minor cracks, but is growing and chugging along. The ND took a hard hit from a late May freeze 2 years ago and never recovered. The mango just kept growing slowly and the cankers slowly closed. There’s only a slight glimpse of one canker remaining and the tree finally took off last year.
Just took this pic with 8pm light. That’s the only blemish left on the tree.
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That’s more extreme than the cracking I see but basically the same. Glad to have an explanation but ….ugg
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In Ireland we will call the “Wabash Cannonball” Water 
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