Asimina triloba (Paw-Paw)

North America's largest native edible fruit and the sole host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly, pawpaw brings genuine ecological and edible value to understory restoration plantings, thriving in the deep shade where few other fruiting trees survive.

Species Overview

Asimina triloba, commonly known as pawpaw, is a small deciduous tree native to the eastern United States. It typically grows 10 to 30 feet tall and is known for its large, elongated leaves that provide a tropical appearance in temperate climates. The pawpaw tree is unique for its dark purple, custard-like fruit, which ripens in late summer and has a sweet, banana-like flavor with hints of mango and citrus. The flowers, which bloom in early spring before the leaves emerge, are large and reddish-purple, resembling those of magnolias, and are pollinated by flies and beetles.

Application

• Understory restoration in moist woodlands and stream banks
• Edible-landscape and food-forest plantings
• Larval host habitat for zebra swallowtail butterfly and pawpaw sphinx moth
• Naturalized colony/thicket plantings via root suckers

Growing Conditions / Specification Data

• Light: Full Sun to Full Shade - most fruitful in full sun, but tolerates deep shade
• Soil/Moisture Tolerance: Rich, well-drained soils; tolerates occasional wet conditions but prefers moisture-retentive, not permanently wet, soil
• Growth Rate: Slow
• Plant Type: Tree
• Mature Height: 15-25 ft. (existing records show a wider 10-30 ft. range; see flags)
• Fall Color: Yellow
• Bloom Color / Period: Purple, Brown; April-May
• Wetland Indicator Status: FAC (Facultative) - Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain region
• Native Range: New York west to eastern Nebraska, south to northern Florida and eastern Texas
• Hydrology: Mesic-Moist
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate
• Root Depth: Moderate (12-24 in.) (20 in.)
• Deer Resistance: Yes (Rarely Damaged)
• Shade Tolerance: Tolerant
• Salinity Tolerance: None - intolerant of both soil and spray salt
• Flood Tolerance: Moderate - A bottomland understory tree found in well-drained, deep, fertile floodplain soils as well as hilly upland habitat; tolerates periodic flooding typical of bottomland forests without being a true wetland obligate.
• Growth Habit: Multi-stemmed/Thicket-forming - spreads by root suckers to form colonies
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
• Pollinator Value: Larval host, supports butterflies, supports moths - flowers are pollinated by flies and beetles rather than bees
• Juglone Tolerance: Tolerant

Planting Guidance

• Two or more individuals are needed for pollination - pawpaw does not reliably self-pollinate.