Description
A fruiting tree whose mystique continues to grow every year!
In its natural environment, paw paw is a shady understory tree, which spreads by root suckers to form dense thickets. Paw paws can be cold-hardy, northern-growing trees, although they are not often known as such due to their range primarily being in warmer zones.
The fruit paw paws produce are a rich and creamy tropical feeling fruit. Most describe it as custard like. Much work has gone into breeding improved cultivars of paw paw. Even with these improvements, paw paw fruit can only be enjoyed fresh soon after ripening. The fruit bruises very easily, so it is not suitable for transport which is why you’ll never see paw paws in stores.
These “Cold Bill” seedlings come from a tree which closely neighbors the farm where my nursery is. It is up on a hill, and while our zone is considered zone 5, up on the hill it is quite a bit colder. So these seeds are coming from a very cold hardy tree. The fruit is delicious and the seeds are small.
Growth Parameters:
While paw paws are naturally shade dwelling trees, in cultivation they seem to like sun just as any productive fruit tree would. These trees will put up root suckers around the main tree and attempt to form a thicket as they would naturally. It is easy enough to just keep the area around the trees mowed to keep these down. At maturity, expect an orchard size tree 15 to 20 feet tall.
Two seedling trees are recommended for cross pollination and fruit set.
Ultimately, named varieties can be grafted onto these seedling trees if desired using the bark grafting technique.
