Tom, I've really been wanting to grow pawpaws, and I have a couple of books about them. I have yet to taste them, but I know they're wonderful. I don't have the best conditions to grow them, with high winds coming off of the lake. And they need shade in the beginning, and then full sun, and they don't like to be transplanted. So they're fiddly to establish, but I know they're so worth it! I'm also trying like hell to move somewhere warmer in the next few years, and I don't know if it's worth trying to work really hard to establish a tree only to have to leave it. The same is true for all of the other fruit trees I wanted to grow this year. I ended up postponing this plan for next year. But I'm not sure if we'll stay here in the long term, and then all of that effort would be lost. It's a conundrum for sure, and it's hard to wait! Thanks for this wonderful post! ❤️
When I was a kid in junior explorers club in southwestern Ohio, the naturalist took us to a pawpaw grove in the woods and we ate some. Never had another one until last year when I found some at a farmers market here in Portland, OR. They looked pretty beat, but i bought them anyway and they were about as good as I remembered. From what I hear we don’t have the pollinators here so they have to be hand pollinated.
I believe I have tasted pawpaw at a local market: absolutely custardy and sweet.
Here in Toronto (at the very north edge of the Carolinian zone) the three year-old pawpaw seedlings in our local pollinator garden are just beginning to think about putting out leaves. I think they must be at least four or five years away from fruiting. I hope someday they will be half as lovely as the ones described in your post!
After wanting to taste pawpaw for many years, I finally found them available at our local farmer's market last summer. So delicious! A couple of years ago I planted three very small pawpaw saplings in my garden that probably won't bear for quite a few years--but at least I've got them started.
I love that the Pawpaw is the host tree for the stunning zebra swallowtail butterfly!
I get loads of pawpaws from a friend who grows them but doesn't like the taste. Every year I make and share pawpaw bread.
Tom, I've really been wanting to grow pawpaws, and I have a couple of books about them. I have yet to taste them, but I know they're wonderful. I don't have the best conditions to grow them, with high winds coming off of the lake. And they need shade in the beginning, and then full sun, and they don't like to be transplanted. So they're fiddly to establish, but I know they're so worth it! I'm also trying like hell to move somewhere warmer in the next few years, and I don't know if it's worth trying to work really hard to establish a tree only to have to leave it. The same is true for all of the other fruit trees I wanted to grow this year. I ended up postponing this plan for next year. But I'm not sure if we'll stay here in the long term, and then all of that effort would be lost. It's a conundrum for sure, and it's hard to wait! Thanks for this wonderful post! ❤️
When I was a kid in junior explorers club in southwestern Ohio, the naturalist took us to a pawpaw grove in the woods and we ate some. Never had another one until last year when I found some at a farmers market here in Portland, OR. They looked pretty beat, but i bought them anyway and they were about as good as I remembered. From what I hear we don’t have the pollinators here so they have to be hand pollinated.
I believe I have tasted pawpaw at a local market: absolutely custardy and sweet.
Here in Toronto (at the very north edge of the Carolinian zone) the three year-old pawpaw seedlings in our local pollinator garden are just beginning to think about putting out leaves. I think they must be at least four or five years away from fruiting. I hope someday they will be half as lovely as the ones described in your post!
It will be worth the wait! Pawpaw is native to the Carolinian forest, though uncommon. Enjoy your trees!
After wanting to taste pawpaw for many years, I finally found them available at our local farmer's market last summer. So delicious! A couple of years ago I planted three very small pawpaw saplings in my garden that probably won't bear for quite a few years--but at least I've got them started.