Pawpaw leaf drop?

[cfinley]

A few weeks ago we had a little heatwave and I guess I had let a few plants go a little bit too long without watering. My 2.5 ft tall young pawpaw dropped most of its leaves, and then the remaining few several days later even after watering. I've since been much more careful about regular watering and moved it to a more heavily shaded location, but so far no signs of bouncing back unlike its neighboring white sapote and cherimoyas that also got scortched and dropped some leaves.

Is pawpaw one of those trees that only puts out new leaves in spring and I just have to wait? I scratched the bark and its still green, but the branch tips looking dried out have me worried I should be doing more now or it might not make it until then.

[Saltcayman]

I am no paw paw expert but my young paw paw has been putting out new growth and leaves all summer.

[cfinley]

Mine must not be very happy then. I've only had it since March, and it put out maybe 3 new small leaves in April (to make ~10 total) but otherwise just stayed the same up until the heatwave. Anyone have advice? Should I try to give a shot of nitrogen to help it leaf out, or just leave it alone? Its been fully naked for at least 3 weeks now since the leaf drop

[Saltcayman]

I have mine in a small shade structure, lots of organic mulch around it and water regularly.

[HoangNguyen]

I have mine in a small shade structure, lots of organic mulch around it and water regularly.

The question is about pawpaw (Asimina triloba), not papaya.  You are in 13b to hot for Asimina triloba.

[shah8]

I had a bit of the same trouble...a nitrogen deficiency-like blanching of leaves.  I think many plants with soft leaves have had trouble with the heat, particularly at night.

[cfinley]

I had a bit of the same trouble...a nitrogen deficiency-like blanching of leaves.  I think many plants with soft leaves have had trouble with the heat, particularly at night.

So you think I should fertilize it? I gave it a fish emulsion feeding in May, but maybe that's not enough.. Also since it seems like the previous poster with fresh growth all summer might have been talking about papayas, does your pawpaw put out new leaves all summer long or generally only put out new leaves in the spring?

[shah8]

the latter.

My plan next year is to start fertilizing with high nitrogen fertilizer to get as much a boost from spring growing as possible, and for darkest leaves.

[Saltcayman]

I have mine in a small shade structure, lots of organic mulch around it and water regularly.

The question is about pawpaw (Asimina triloba), not papaya.  You are in 13b to hot for Asimina triloba.

I have homes in nj and the tropics. I was speaking of my paw paw in New Jersey.

[Saltcayman]

I had a bit of the same trouble...a nitrogen deficiency-like blanching of leaves.  I think many plants with soft leaves have had trouble with the heat, particularly at night.

So you think I should fertilize it? I gave it a fish emulsion feeding in May, but maybe that's not enough.. Also since it seems like the previous poster with fresh growth all summer might have been talking about papayas, does your pawpaw put out new leaves all summer long or generally only put out new leaves in the spring?

We are speaking about the same thing. I have had growth all summer long.  About three feet high and its first year in the ground.  I did not fertilize other than a little organic mulch top dressing and some hardwood mulch.  I am on clay soil. I have kept it in a shade structure.  Small paw paws do not like full sun. 

[Saltcayman]

[Saltcayman]

I bought this grafted in the spring from a nursery in Kentucky. It has about doubled in height since I planted it. No fertilizer so far.

[cfinley]

Thanks for the follow up. Maybe mine did not grow much because it got too much sun? How is your humidity in NJ?

[Saltcayman]

Humidity is high in the summer.  The shade structure also keeps the humidity higher.  When I first planted in the ground without the shade, I saw immediate leaf scortch. After I added tomato cage with landscape fabric wrapped around it, the tree has been happy.  The soil ph here is pretty neutral.