Pawpaw

Scientific Name: Asimina triloba. The genus is derived from the Algonquin word min, meaning fruit.¹ The species name, triloba, means three-lobed, in reference to the fruits (which actually may have 1-5 lobes!).²

Common Name: Pawpaw. Where do you think a name like this might come from? A common theory is that the fruits reminded early Western explorers of papaya fruit, which resulted in the name pawpaw.^1,2 Other common names include various versions of pawpaw (common pawpaw, paw paw, paw-paw) and others that reference the fruit, such as false banana, custard banana, custard apple, and paw paw apple.^1,2,3,4 Those names give a hint to the texture and taste of the fruit!

Family: Annonaceae (Custard-apple Family). With a name like custard-apple, it may not surprise you to learn that species in this family are valued for their large, edible fruits! The custard-apple family has around 2,300 species, most of which are found in the tropical regions of the world. In fact, plants in the genus Asimina (with only 8 species) are the only plants from this family native to North America—and they are also endemic to the eastern United States, meaning their native range is restricted to this area! The only two species in this family in Virginia are pawpaw (Asimina triloba) and dwarf pawpaw (Asimina parviflora)! Most members of this family are trees or shrubs with unlobed, untoothed leaves that grow alternately along the stem. Flowers usually have both male and female parts, 3 sepals, 6 petals, and a ball-like cluster of stamens. Flowers are pollinated by flies or beetles, and the fruits are fleshy with more than one seed. The wood, leaves, and fruit are typically aromatic.⁵⁶

Average Height: up to 30 feet

Description: A small tree, often spreading by underground roots to form small colonies. The smooth gray to brown bark has prominent lenticels. The green oblong leaves measure up to 12” long and 2–4” inches wide, and are simple (not divided into leaflets), untoothed, and arranged alternately on the stem. Crushed leaves smell similar to a green pepper. Flowers measure 1–1 ½” across and are purplish brown with 3 green hairy sepals and 6 thick, veined petals arranged with 3 larger outer petals and 3 smaller inner petals. Although male and female flowering parts appear on a single tree, the flowers must be pollinated from a different tree—and flies are the pollinators! Fertile flowers develop into a cluster of fruits each measuring 2 ½–6” long. These are the largest native fruit in North America! The fruit turns from green to yellow then brown as it ripens, and the pulpy flesh is said to taste a bit like a banana.^2,6,9,12,14

Bloom time: Mar – May

Notes: Dwarf pawpaw (Asimina parviflora) can be distinguished from pawpaw (Asimina triloba) by its much smaller parts (leaves, flowers, fruits, etc). In addition, it grows in only a few counties in the southeastern part of Virginia, as opposed to Asimina triloba, which is found throughout much of the state. The dwarf pawpaw grows in drier habitats while the pawpaw is known to prefer moister ones, though pawpaw (Asimina triloba) has recently been expanding into drier uplands as well.^2,4

Range: Common throughout the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of VA, but only in lower elevations in the mountains, and missing from several counties in southwest VA.⁸ Found in eastern and central US, from New York west to Nebraska and south to Texas and Florida.⁷

Geology/Soil: Most common on moist, acidic, nutrient-rich soils that are well-drained, but can tolerate nutrient-poor or wet soils as well.^2,6,8,9

Habitat: Most strongly associated with moist soils of well-drained floodplain forests, wet flatwoods, swamps, and stream banks, but can also be found in moist to dry upland forests.^2,6,8,9

Flora associations: Growing primarily in moist, nutrient-rich locations, it is often found growing in the understory of trees such as tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), white ash (Fraxinus americana), northern red oak (Quercus rubra), and American basswood (Tilia americana). The understory will likely also include spicebush (Lindera benzoin) and a lush herbaceous layer rich with species such as common black cohosh (Actaea racemosa), wild ginger (Asarum canadense), Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), and perfoliate bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata).¹⁰

Fauna associations: The dark purplish brown flowers which emit an unpleasant odor attract various types of flies, such as flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) and blow flies (Calliphoridae). Remember, the pawpaw’s pollinators are flies, not bees! The leaves of the pawpaw are the only food of zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) caterpillars. Other species that eat parts of the pawpaw include the caterpillars of the pawpaw sphinx moth (Dolba hyloeus), the Asimina webworm moth (Omphalocera munroei), and the speckled talponia moth (Talponia plummeriana). Raccoons, opossums, squirrels, foxes, and some birds enjoy eating the ripe fruit. The leaves contain toxins, making them unpalatable to white-tailed deer.^2,4,9,11,12

Human associations: Eating the ripe fruit is one of the primary ways that humans enjoy and make use of the pawpaw tree. Some folks find the fruit can irritate their stomach or skin, but many enjoy the custard-like fruit that is said to taste a bit like bananas. The fruit can be eaten fresh or used in pies, puddings, and ice cream. Many Indigenous Peoples eat the pawpaw fruit. The Haudenosaunee dry the fruit in the sun or by fire, as well as drying small cakes of mashed fruit that can be rehydrated to make a sauce to eat with cornbread. Some Indigenous people are thought to have influenced the spread of the pawpaw through cultivation for food. In addition to eating the fruit raw or dried, the Cherokee twist the inner bark to make strings, fishing nets, ropes, and mats, and use the pulp of ripe fruit to make a yellow dye. Extracts from the pawpaw plant may be used in insecticides, and some may have the ability to fight cancer.^{1,2,3,4,7,9,13}

We want these plants to thrive and for everyone who gets to visit the park to enjoy them, so remember – don’t pick flowers or other parts of the plant!!

1 “Paw Paw : Indigenous Peoples’ Perspective Project : Programs | Events : Adkins Arboretum.” Adkinsarboretum.org, 2021, www.adkinsarboretum.org/programs_events/ipp/paw-paw.html. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

2 “Asimina Triloba (Common Pawpaw, Pawpaw) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” Plants.ces.ncsu.edu, plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asimina-triloba/. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

3 “Paw Paw (Asimina Triloba).” My Cherokee Garden, 5 Apr. 2016, mycherokeegarden.com/2016/04/05/paw-paw-asimina-triloba/. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

4 Immel, Diana L., and M. Kat Anderson. “Plant Guide: PAWPAW.” United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service, https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/cs_astr.pdf. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

5 “Annonaceae | Description, Genera, & Species.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/plant/Annonaceae. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

6 Weakley, A.S., J.C. Ludwig, and J.F. Townsend. 2012. Flora of Virginia. Bland Crowder, ed. Foundation of the Flora of Virginia Project, Inc., Richmond. Fort Worth: Botanical Research Institute of Texas Press, pp. 227-228.

7 “NatureServe Explorer 2.0.” Explorer.natureserve.org, 3 Jan. 2025, explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.148616/Asimina_triloba. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

8 “Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora | Asimina Triloba (L.) Dunal.” Vaplantatlas.org, 2025, www.vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=748&search=Search. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

9 “Asimina Triloba – Plant Finder.” Missouribotanicalgarden.org, 2024, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b500. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

10 “Basic Mesic Forests.” Www.dcr.virginia.gov, www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-communities/nctb2. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

11 “Search: Pawpaw.” Bugguide.net, 2024, bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=pawpaw&search=Search. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

12 “Pawpaw (Asimina Triloba).” Www.illinoiswildflowers.info, www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/pawpaw.htm. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

13 “BRIT – Native American Ethnobotany Database.” Naeb.brit.org, naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=asimina+triloba. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

14 “Virginia Tech Dendrology Fact Sheet.” Vt.edu, 2021, dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=155. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

Definitions:

Lenticel: A lens-shaped area on the surface of a stem or root that is slightly raised.

Sepal: A leaf-like (and often green) segment enclosing the petals of a flower.