A North American native tree with the largest edible fruit of any plant native to the U.S. — tropical-tasting, custard-like flesh from a tough, cold-hardy understory tree.
Pawpaw is a small, deciduous understory tree native to the eastern United States, prized for producing the largest edible fruit of any plant native to North America. Large, drooping, tropical-looking leaves give it a lush appearance through the growing season before turning yellow in fall. In early spring, before the leaves emerge, the tree produces distinctive maroon, six-petaled, downward-facing flowers with a faint, unpleasant scent that attracts the flies and beetles that pollinate them. Flowers are perfect (containing both male and female parts) but self-incompatible and protogynous — the female parts mature before the male parts on the same flower — so a single tree will not set fruit; at least two genetically distinct trees are needed nearby for pollination. Clusters of oblong, greenish-yellow fruit ripen in late summer to fall, with soft, custard-like flesh often described as tasting like a cross between banana, mango, and pineapple. In the wild, pawpaw often spreads by root suckers to form dense colonial thickets. It is the sole larval host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly.
Pros
Produces the largest edible fruit native to North America, with a unique tropical flavor
Cold-hardy, low-maintenance native tree, tolerant of a range of soils
Sole larval host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly
Deer and rabbits generally avoid it
Cons
Requires at least two genetically distinct trees nearby for fruit production
Seeds and peel are mildly toxic if eaten; sap can irritate skin
Can sucker and form colonies if not managed
Slow to bear fruit and resents transplanting once established
Why Like
As a wild plant, pawpaw is a valuable native understory tree in eastern woodlands, providing an important early food source for wildlife (raccoons, opossums, foxes, and squirrels all eat the ripe fruit) and serving as the sole larval host for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly. Its tendency to form suckering colonies helps stabilize soil in floodplain and streamside woodlands where it's commonly found.
Highlights
The only member of the mostly tropical custard-apple family (Annonaceae) hardy this far north, pawpaw offers genuinely tropical-tasting fruit — sometimes called the "Indiana banana" or "poor man's banana" — from a tough, native, cold-hardy tree. It is also the sole host plant for Zebra Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars, making it a genuine wildlife-value addition as well as an edible one.
Plant Data
Mature Size
15 - 30 feet
tall. 20 - 30 feet
wide.
Growth Rate
Moderate
Sun Exposure
Full Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance
Medium - Wet: Widely Adaptable
Zones
5a - 8b
(Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags
Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Wildlife, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Edibles, Erosion Control, Fall Color, Fruit edible, Fruits, Full Shade, Full Sun, Good for Butterfly Garden, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Small Tree, Tolerant of Acidic Soil, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant, Woodland Garden Fall Color Trees, Flowering Trees, Small Trees, Wildlife Trees, Fruit Trees
Pairs naturally with other eastern woodland understory and streamside natives such as Lindera benzoin (spicebush), Cercis canadensis (redbud), and Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood viburnum), or with shade-tolerant perennials like ferns and Asarum (wild ginger) beneath its canopy.
We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants
Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.
Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.
Estimated Recipe Cost
The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.
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About Ordering From The Plant Club
To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.
Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!
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We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region.
It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.
Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!
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