Author Topic: What does a pawpaw taste like?  (Read 3409 times)

BonsaiBeast

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What does a pawpaw taste like?
« on: October 17, 2018, 12:38:01 AM »
i'm trying to figure out what to do with the last two spots in my yard. Pawpaws are one of the few fruits I havent planted.

So my question is: How does this fruit taste? How do you rank it compared to fruits like mango or citrus?

EJO8

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2018, 01:15:10 AM »
It taste similar to cherimoya to.me but maybe a tad less sweet. size is a little.smaller than cherimoya and the seeds are quite large.

I think.mango taste better for sure.

fruitlovers

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2018, 05:45:53 AM »
Varies a lot depending on cultivar. Had a choice type and was surprised at how good it was. Very tropical complex taste, with hints of mango in it. But most types need long chill period. If you are planting in zone 10A have to make sure types you plant will fruit there.
Oscar

KarenRei

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2018, 06:50:56 AM »
Indeed - needs both chill and summer heat.  It's the latter that prevents me from growing them here.  They're quite temperature-hardy, but even the least heat-demanding cultivars can be hard to ripen in for the example the Pacific Northwest due to heat requirements.

Pawpaws are adapted to continental climates, where it gets both cold and hot.  That said, there are California pawpaw growers (for example, Lagier Ranch in the San Joaquin Valley), although I've never heard of any growing as far south as San Diego.  You can always contact KSU (the foremost experts in pawpaws) and ask.  But I imagine chill will be a big problem (in the SF area, both chill and heat can be problems, depending on the location and cultivar)
« Last Edit: October 17, 2018, 07:00:43 AM by KarenRei »
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Jack, Nipomo

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2018, 08:51:13 AM »
Until the drought killed my paw paw we had great crops every year from one tree.  It was a Corwin Davis seedling.  We rarely get below 26-28 degrees in the winter.  We are in the CA cool coast and our summer temperatures are usually in the 40s at night and a high in the mid 70s during the day, fog morning and night.  Don't think that it is accurate to say that the paw paw requires high temperatures to ripen, certainly its relative the cherimoya doesn't.  Cherimoyas are quite happy here, as was the paw paw.  Now most citrus does have difficulty ripening to full sweetness here.

One way to find out....ignore the naysayers and plant it. 

I do have sprouts coming up from the paw paw and will encourage them and increase the water.  It was a flavorable fruit and appreciated by most who tried it. 

KarenRei

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2018, 08:58:34 AM »
Until the drought killed my paw paw we had great crops every year from one tree.  It was a Corwin Davis seedling.  We rarely get below 26-28 degrees in the winter.  We are in the CA cool coast and our summer temperatures are usually in the 40s at night and a high in the mid 70s during the day, fog morning and night.  Don't think that it is accurate to say that the paw paw requires high temperatures to ripen, certainly its relative the cherimoya doesn't.  Cherimoyas are quite happy here, as was the paw paw.  Now most citrus does have difficulty ripening to full sweetness here.

One way to find out....ignore the naysayers and plant it. 

I do have sprouts coming up from the paw paw and will encourage them and increase the water.  It was a flavorable fruit and appreciated by most who tried it.

Summer heat hours info is straight from KSU. Personal correspondence. Posted in the temperate fruit forum.  Same basic story here: https://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/goldengategardener/article/San-Francisco-climate-not-the-best-for-pawpaw-3178485.php

Summer heat hours is not so much an issue of whether you can get fruit off of them, as the fruit quality.

I know nothing about how Corwin Davis fits into the chill/heat spectrum. The least heat-requiring cultivars are Pennsylvania Golden and KSU-Benson. But in San Diego, I expect the challenge to be about chill hours.

But sure, if you have land to experiment, nothing wrong with that  :)
« Last Edit: October 17, 2018, 09:08:12 AM by KarenRei »
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Jack, Nipomo

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2018, 09:18:16 AM »
My summer heat hours reference is not from just an article read but personal experience over a 20 yer period in our climate area.  You will note that "Davis" is a recommended variety cited in the "Golden Gate Gardener" in your posting.  Most assuredly that is one of the selections from Corwin Davis who was working with KSU.  A quick Google search on him will give one much information. It was Mr Davis who provided the seeds for my tree from a selection of his plantings and wild-collected paw paws that he assumed would do well in our area.  It certainly did in spite of cool summer temperatures.

Again, I suggest planting a tree and having a practical reference as to the relative adaptation of the paw paw to a given climatic area.

zephian

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2018, 09:58:18 AM »
Send me some I'll plant it for you :) sounds like it would love my area. Haha
-Kris

ScottR

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2018, 11:20:34 AM »
I have a few Paw paw trees and my best fruiting variety for me is called 'Sweet Alice' and it has fruited for me for last 10 yrs. depends on how much i hand pollinate! Taste on this variety is tropical -banana but have had ones that taste like Mango.
Many years ago CRFG had a annual conference in L.A. at L.A. arboretum and it was the year of the Paw Paw and they had crates of different varieties shipped in from K.S.U. . That is were I tasted the mango flavor Paw Paw and that sold me on growing Paw Paw's. Diffidently worth growing even in lower chill area''s.
I live near Jack S. but closer to ocean and we have been low chill for year's but low rain fall is hurting many tree's.   

Fygee

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2018, 12:20:38 PM »
Paw Paw's are decidious trees, yes?

On average how many chill hours are needed?

Wondering if these will stand a chance here in Vegas. Heat is never in short supply here, but our Winters are, while cold, shorter than other locations.
Continuing my journey to disprove those who say "You can't grow that in the desert" since 2013.

IndigoEmu

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #10 on: October 17, 2018, 12:52:48 PM »
Has anyone ever tasted the native shrub-like pawpaws found in north/central Florida? I’ve seen them growing well in some pretty hellish soil (sand) and heat here. Wouldn’t want to bother planting it if they taste poor.

I’ve heard from a few people that the conventional pawpaw species does poorly this far south.

RodneyS

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #11 on: October 17, 2018, 01:32:47 PM »
I was thinking of purchasing Shenandoah & Mango paw paws.  Any experience with these varieties?

fruitlovers

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #12 on: October 17, 2018, 05:18:26 PM »
Indeed - needs both chill and summer heat.  It's the latter that prevents me from growing them here.  They're quite temperature-hardy, but even the least heat-demanding cultivars can be hard to ripen in for the example the Pacific Northwest due to heat requirements.

Pawpaws are adapted to continental climates, where it gets both cold and hot.  That said, there are California pawpaw growers (for example, Lagier Ranch in the San Joaquin Valley), although I've never heard of any growing as far south as San Diego.  You can always contact KSU (the foremost experts in pawpaws) and ask.  But I imagine chill will be a big problem (in the SF area, both chill and heat can be problems, depending on the location and cultivar)
CRFG president has fruited pawpaw in Santa Monica, southern California, not far from the coast. So there are types that can fruit without extreme heat or cold.
Oscar

BonsaiBeast

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #13 on: October 17, 2018, 06:08:11 PM »
Indeed - needs both chill and summer heat.  It's the latter that prevents me from growing them here.  They're quite temperature-hardy, but even the least heat-demanding cultivars can be hard to ripen in for the example the Pacific Northwest due to heat requirements.

Pawpaws are adapted to continental climates, where it gets both cold and hot.  That said, there are California pawpaw growers (for example, Lagier Ranch in the San Joaquin Valley), although I've never heard of any growing as far south as San Diego.  You can always contact KSU (the foremost experts in pawpaws) and ask.  But I imagine chill will be a big problem (in the SF area, both chill and heat can be problems, depending on the location and cultivar)
CRFG president has fruited pawpaw in Santa Monica, southern California, not far from the coast. So there are types that can fruit without extreme heat or cold.

Wow really? This gives me some hope!

You wouldn't know what varieties the president has? Or perhaps where I can get more info on this?

fruitlovers

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #14 on: October 17, 2018, 10:14:05 PM »
Indeed - needs both chill and summer heat.  It's the latter that prevents me from growing them here.  They're quite temperature-hardy, but even the least heat-demanding cultivars can be hard to ripen in for the example the Pacific Northwest due to heat requirements.

Pawpaws are adapted to continental climates, where it gets both cold and hot.  That said, there are California pawpaw growers (for example, Lagier Ranch in the San Joaquin Valley), although I've never heard of any growing as far south as San Diego.  You can always contact KSU (the foremost experts in pawpaws) and ask.  But I imagine chill will be a big problem (in the SF area, both chill and heat can be problems, depending on the location and cultivar)
CRFG president has fruited pawpaw in Santa Monica, southern California, not far from the coast. So there are types that can fruit without extreme heat or cold.

Wow really? This gives me some hope!

You wouldn't know what varieties the president has? Or perhaps where I can get more info on this?
I think i posted about it before. Try the search feature. Subject: Paw paw. User: fruitlovers. Her name is Margaret Frane, or something like that.
Oscar

So_Cal_Mike

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Re: What does a pawpaw taste like?
« Reply #15 on: October 17, 2018, 10:53:33 PM »
There are three small paw paw trees at the Fullerton Arboretum, here in Southern California. I’ve seen them in bloom, but I haven’t been there at the right time to see if they held fruit.
[size=85]Sunset Zone: 21 • USDA Zone: 10a • AHS Heat Zone: 6-7[/size]