Today we look at: Asimina triloba – the Pawpaw Tree
If you have been out hiking with me, you’ll know that despite being wildly curious, I generally do not eat the nature. However, this month we will delve into “the poor man’s banana” and the rare and unusual tree on which it grows.
The pawpaw tree is common in the eastern US, but around here we find it only in southern Ontario. It is a small tree that grows on rich, moist soils in the forest. Often there will be a shady thicket of pawpaws, as they often spread by root-sprouts to create a clump of clonal trees. Alas, this clump of trees may not produce any fruit, because separate trees are required for successful pollination. The
leaves of the pawpaw tree are large, up to 30cm long, alternate, with smooth edges, and broadest above the middle, with a short stalk. The fruit look like odd-shaped green mangos.
Fun Fact – Our native pawpaw tree belongs to the same family as the tropical fruits soursop and custard apples.
People in North America have been eating pawpaws for thousands of years. Before that, you would have seen giant ground sloths and mastodons happily devouring them …the pawpaw fruit that is, not the people. This fruit starts green, and then progresses to yellow with brown blotches. It falls off the tree when ripe and will store for a few days, making it only available locally and seasonally. Fresh ripe
pawpaws have an exotic tropical flavour, described as a blend of mango and banana, with a creamy custard texture. They are very nutritious too.
A Bit of Advice - Pawpaws are best eaten ripe, fresh, here, now. Avoid eating any part of the skin or seeds. Cooking or baking pawpaw fruit can impact the flavour and may cause dramatic digestive distress for those who are sensitive.
With all the enthusiasm around pawpaws, people are out foraging for them, and also planting the seeds wherever they can. We’re seeing lucrative market prices of $25 per pound. There is ongoing research to discover new varieties, establish commercial orchards, and develop ripening and storage techniques. Scientists are investigating chemical compounds to discover new medicines and botanical products. And since deer won’t browse on pawpaw seedlings, biologists are looking at
pawpaw trees to stabilize stream banks and enhance forest habitat.
To go down the rabbit-hole of everything pawpaw, check out he following links:
• https://www.wildedible.com/pawpaws
• https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/this-fruit-grows-in-ontario-but-its-nearly-impossible-to-find-inside-the-secretive-world/article_b4f04a96-870b-11ef-bba8-0751efc9e228.html
• https://www.kysu.edu/academics/college-ahnr/school-of-anr/pawpaw/index.php
• https://arboretum.harvard.edu/stories/what-about-paw-paw/
Images from: rotarybotanicalgardens.org and projectpawpaw.com
Submitted by Helen Hermansen