What does pawpaw taste like?

[NewGen]

And more importantly, can it grow and produce fruits in southern CA? I'm surprised that even though it's native to North America, it's not that well known, at least here on the west coast. Even when I was living in Kansas, I never saw any pawpaw fruits in the markets.

[fyliu]

banana. Yes it fruits here. Normal Americans are hesitant to eat stuff that don't have something like -apple -cherry in the name. Surinam cherry, sugar apple, rose apple, pine apple...

[NewGen]

So true about making the fruits sound "safe" for the average consumer. 
Would you have a source for getting a pawpaw tree? I ordered one 2 weeks ago, credit card was charged. I was excitedly waiting for it to arrive, but then got an email that their shipping season had already ended, So they returned the $. 

banana. Yes it fruits here. Normal Americans are hesitant to eat stuff that don't have something like -apple -cherry in the name. Surinam cherry, sugar apple, rose apple, pine apple...

[fyliu]

I know Roger Meyer was selling them. I think he's the one who donated one to the OC Fairground.
Some LA CRFG members grow them. I see scions of it every year at the scion exchange.

I tasted it at the West LA CRFG when someone had a few fruit flown in from Florida or somewhere East.

[shah8]

Put aside the obvious issue with me never having had a pawpaw, but...

It's not really banana.  They seem to taste mostly like Cherimoyas do, with more of heavy tropical mango/melon accent in most of them.  Some of them do have a custard/banana taste.  In general, if it's bananas, it's a more richer banana than the traditional varieties sold in stores.  Pawpaws are notably (problematically for some people) rich, with lots of fat and protein in them.  They also have the general annonacae tendency to have unpleasant bitterness and aftertaste if it is not optimally ripe, and one should be careful only properly ripe fruit.

[TropicalFruitHunters]

Not usually in the markets.  I don't think anyone is growing enough of them to support markets.  The taste is like any other fruit.  Not everyone is going to like them.  I would try and find someone growing these locally and ask them to try a few first.  I thought they sounded wonderful and bought two nice grafted varieties but so far have been very unimpressed with the flavor.  The smell is great...similar to banana and mango.  But for me, the taste is just not making grade. 

Nice, grafted trees are hard to come by anymore because they are becoming a little more popular.  Peterson's pawpaws sell out at least a year in advance.  Nolin Nursery is sold out.  Might be a few more selling them you could try...but taste first!

[ClayMango]

Just wow, my blind ignorance over looked the Paw Paw threads a billion times just becuase of the name alone... you mean to tell me this is a close relative of the Cherimoya and it's Native to North America....Dear God! Is this fruit in the Same league as Cherimoya and do I need to get one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[michsu]

not in the same league as cherimoyas/atemoyas.. the moya family is WAY higher.. 

[ClayMango]

not in the same league as cherimoyas/atemoyas.. the moya family is WAY higher.. 

In other words, has no place in a limited space yard?

[michsu]

also, because you need two trees I believe to cross-pollinate.. I don't like two spaces being taken if they have the possibility of not even fruiting.. I rather grow two more cherimoyas/atemoyas/custard apple or mangos.. do you agree?  or even another rollinia or sugar apple.. but it's different for different people.. you make like it just like you like mangos (according to your name  ).. try one first though before you decide to grow it..

http://www.starkbros.com/products/fruit-trees/pawpaw-trees

According to that website (and others), "All of our pawpaw trees require the presence of a second pawpaw tree for proper fruit production."

[nullzero]

I think having too many cherimoyas in the ground would be a waste of space. Considering the production has been reported to be spotty the last few years in SoCal. I rather have a couple multi grafted Annona trees. That way can always get something different times of the year.

[michsu]

oh yeah, that's why I have two cherimoyas (honeyhart grafted with others, and unknown - a friend gave me that in a small cup, but it's pretty big now), one atemoya (Lindstrom atemoya with Fino de Jete and Campas) one Sarteneja custard apple, one sugar apple, and one rollinia.. all are 6+ ft or taller (taller than me at least).. Adam had said that only thing I am missing was a ilama? I'll try to get one next time.. hopefully have a bit of everything..

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I've only tasted one Paw Paw, and it was not the best variety, but it immediately won me over....to me it taste like a pudding, custard, dessert, maybe with banana, and some other delicious ingredients.

I bet the native Americans knew where all the best trees were, and had some fierce battles over the paw paw patches! 

These things must have been like nature's version of Crème brûlée on a stick...

I'm going to be planting some grafted trees in about a week.  There are some varieties selected for FL (zone 9a)...I'm curious to see how they perform in my grove.

[ClayMango]

I've only tasted one Paw Paw, and it was not the best variety, but it immediately won me over....to me it taste like a pudding, custard, dessert, maybe with banana, and some other delicious ingredients.

I bet the native Americans knew where all the best trees were, and had some fierce battles over the paw paw patches! 

These things must have been like nature's version of Crème brûlée on a stick...

I'm going to be planting some grafted trees in about a week.  There are some varieties selected for FL (zone 9a)...I'm curious to see how they perform in my grove.

By pudding would you say it somewhat compares to Durians creamy texture?

[FlyingFoxFruits]

yes!
but my experience eating both fruits is so limited!

I'm guessing durian is creamier, due to higher fat content!

I've only tasted one Paw Paw, and it was not the best variety, but it immediately won me over....to me it taste like a pudding, custard, dessert, maybe with banana, and some other delicious ingredients.

I bet the native Americans knew where all the best trees were, and had some fierce battles over the paw paw patches! 

These things must have been like nature's version of Crème brûlée on a stick...

I'm going to be planting some grafted trees in about a week.  There are some varieties selected for FL (zone 9a)...I'm curious to see how they perform in my grove.

By pudding would you say it somewhat compares to Durians creamy texture?

[ClayMango]

yes!
but my experience eating both fruits is so limited!

I'm guessing durian is creamier, due to higher fat content!

I've only tasted one Paw Paw, and it was not the best variety, but it immediately won me over....to me it taste like a pudding, custard, dessert, maybe with banana, and some other delicious ingredients.

I bet the native Americans knew where all the best trees were, and had some fierce battles over the paw paw patches! 

These things must have been like nature's version of Crème brûlée on a stick...

I'm going to be planting some grafted trees in about a week.  There are some varieties selected for FL (zone 9a)...I'm curious to see how they perform in my grove.

By pudding would you say it somewhat compares to Durians creamy texture?

Holy shit!! how on Earth is a Native fruit to the U.S. which as held as such a great tasting fruit not gone commercial...like I don't get it... one can only eat so much apples, oranges, and bananas!!!! This is very disturbing and upsetting... I wonder how some of the top tier Paw Paws compare to cherimoyas, atemoyas, and Custard Apple.... if it can hold it's own, which it sounds like it can.....then I'll put 2 in my yard. The Frost killed 3 of my 8 baby grafted Cherimoyas....and after eating about 12 different Cherimoya varieties I've noticed one huge factor! There is almost hardly any main complexity to seperate the flavor from any other variety except for about 3 i tryed which honestly just amounted to better balanced sugar and acidic levels... Fuck it!!! Bring on the Banana pudding Paw Paws baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to find me a top tier Paw Paw!


**side note...this extremely Cold Hardy Paw Paw tree has an amazing tropical foilage to it....yes i know it's from the tropical Moya family, you just don't see pretty trees like that grown in the Cold zones...the branching structure looks amazing as well !

[Jsvand5]

Edible landscaping sells them. I just bought a few Peterson varieties from them. They were very small plants but seem to be healthy. $30 each if I remeber right.

[fyliu]

From various posts in the forum it looks like paw paw is an understory tree that doesn't get very large. So I'm growing it in a slightly shaded spot.

Does anyone know what amount of light it does best in? I mean does it take full sun. I should probably just look this up on the web but I'm on a cellphone right now.

I tasted 2 pawpaws in so far and they're more fragrant than sweet although they're sweet enough to be a good fruit to grow. Yeah banana pudding and some resistance if it's not overripe. I think the first one I had was overripe and lost some texture, I'm not really sure about it.

[Guanabanus]

Young pawpaw seedlings (juvenile plants--- not grafted) are killed by bright sunlight, but after they are about three feet tall actually grow better in full sunlight, provided they are within their normal range.  When pushed to grow further south, they benefit from year-round dappled sunlight.

[fyliu]

Thanks. I'll leave it where it is then. It's just 2 sticks right now maybe 2 ft high.

[Viking Guy]

I got mine from Willis Orchards.  He carries both pollinators.  I think they are every bit worth 2 spots in the yard.  It's a pretty tree.

Definitely keep them in mostly shade.  I keep mine under the shadow of my bananas so the west sun is mostly blocked.

[fruitlovers]

yes!
but my experience eating both fruits is so limited!

I'm guessing durian is creamier, due to higher fat content!

I've only tasted one Paw Paw, and it was not the best variety, but it immediately won me over....to me it taste like a pudding, custard, dessert, maybe with banana, and some other delicious ingredients.

I bet the native Americans knew where all the best trees were, and had some fierce battles over the paw paw patches! 

These things must have been like nature's version of Crème brûlée on a stick...

I'm going to be planting some grafted trees in about a week.  There are some varieties selected for FL (zone 9a)...I'm curious to see how they perform in my grove.

By pudding would you say it somewhat compares to Durians creamy texture?

Holy shit!! how on Earth is a Native fruit to the U.S. which as held as such a great tasting fruit not gone commercial...like I don't get it... one can only eat so much apples, oranges, and bananas!!!! This is very disturbing and upsetting... I wonder how some of the top tier Paw Paws compare to cherimoyas, atemoyas, and Custard Apple.... if it can hold it's own, which it sounds like it can.....then I'll put 2 in my yard. The Frost killed 3 of my 8 baby grafted Cherimoyas....and after eating about 12 different Cherimoya varieties I've noticed one huge factor! There is almost hardly any main complexity to seperate the flavor from any other variety except for about 3 i tryed which honestly just amounted to better balanced sugar and acidic levels... Fuck it!!! Bring on the Banana pudding Paw Paws baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to find me a top tier Paw Paw!


**side note...this extremely Cold Hardy Paw Paw tree has an amazing tropical foilage to it....yes i know it's from the tropical Moya family, you just don't see pretty trees like that grown in the Cold zones...the branching structure looks amazing as well !

Clay, if you get a top tier paw paw they are incredibly good tasting. Had a friend Fed Ex me one from the Paw paw festival in Ohio many years ago. He didn't say what cultivar it was, but it was exquisite. It had an amazing tropical fruity taste and smell. Definitely worth growing the top choice cultivars. And as added benefit you don't have to worry about freezes.

[ClayMango]

yes!
but my experience eating both fruits is so limited!

I'm guessing durian is creamier, due to higher fat content!

I've only tasted one Paw Paw, and it was not the best variety, but it immediately won me over....to me it taste like a pudding, custard, dessert, maybe with banana, and some other delicious ingredients.

I bet the native Americans knew where all the best trees were, and had some fierce battles over the paw paw patches! 

These things must have been like nature's version of Crème brûlée on a stick...

I'm going to be planting some grafted trees in about a week.  There are some varieties selected for FL (zone 9a)...I'm curious to see how they perform in my grove.

By pudding would you say it somewhat compares to Durians creamy texture?

Holy shit!! how on Earth is a Native fruit to the U.S. which as held as such a great tasting fruit not gone commercial...like I don't get it... one can only eat so much apples, oranges, and bananas!!!! This is very disturbing and upsetting... I wonder how some of the top tier Paw Paws compare to cherimoyas, atemoyas, and Custard Apple.... if it can hold it's own, which it sounds like it can.....then I'll put 2 in my yard. The Frost killed 3 of my 8 baby grafted Cherimoyas....and after eating about 12 different Cherimoya varieties I've noticed one huge factor! There is almost hardly any main complexity to seperate the flavor from any other variety except for about 3 i tryed which honestly just amounted to better balanced sugar and acidic levels... Fuck it!!! Bring on the Banana pudding Paw Paws baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to find me a top tier Paw Paw!


**side note...this extremely Cold Hardy Paw Paw tree has an amazing tropical foilage to it....yes i know it's from the tropical Moya family, you just don't see pretty trees like that grown in the Cold zones...the branching structure looks amazing as well !

Clay, if you get a top tier paw paw they are incredibly good tasting. Had a friend Fed Ex me one from the Paw paw festival in Ohio many years ago. He didn't say what cultivar it was, but it was exquisite. It had an amazing tropical fruity taste and smell. Definitely worth growing the top choice cultivars. And as added benefit you don't have to worry about freezes.

Thanks Oscar...Paw Paws confirmed....now to research top varieties

[Jsvand5]

yes!
but my experience eating both fruits is so limited!

I'm guessing durian is creamier, due to higher fat content!

I've only tasted one Paw Paw, and it was not the best variety, but it immediately won me over....to me it taste like a pudding, custard, dessert, maybe with banana, and some other delicious ingredients.

I bet the native Americans knew where all the best trees were, and had some fierce battles over the paw paw patches! 

These things must have been like nature's version of Crème brûlée on a stick...

I'm going to be planting some grafted trees in about a week.  There are some varieties selected for FL (zone 9a)...I'm curious to see how they perform in my grove.

By pudding would you say it somewhat compares to Durians creamy texture?

Holy shit!! how on Earth is a Native fruit to the U.S. which as held as such a great tasting fruit not gone commercial...like I don't get it... one can only eat so much apples, oranges, and bananas!!!! This is very disturbing and upsetting... I wonder how some of the top tier Paw Paws compare to cherimoyas, atemoyas, and Custard Apple.... if it can hold it's own, which it sounds like it can.....then I'll put 2 in my yard. The Frost killed 3 of my 8 baby grafted Cherimoyas....and after eating about 12 different Cherimoya varieties I've noticed one huge factor! There is almost hardly any main complexity to seperate the flavor from any other variety except for about 3 i tryed which honestly just amounted to better balanced sugar and acidic levels... Fuck it!!! Bring on the Banana pudding Paw Paws baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to find me a top tier Paw Paw!


**side note...this extremely Cold Hardy Paw Paw tree has an amazing tropical foilage to it....yes i know it's from the tropical Moya family, you just don't see pretty trees like that grown in the Cold zones...the branching structure looks amazing as well !

Clay, if you get a top tier paw paw they are incredibly good tasting. Had a friend Fed Ex me one from the Paw paw festival in Ohio many years ago. He didn't say what cultivar it was, but it was exquisite. It had an amazing tropical fruity taste and smell. Definitely worth growing the top choice cultivars. And as added benefit you don't have to worry about freezes.

Thanks Oscar...Paw Paws confirmed....now to research top varieties

The Peterson releases seem to be pretty universally considered to be the the best.

[michsu]

haha, then forget what I said.. it's better if you guys chime in before I embarrass myself next time