Australians not keen on musky aftertaste of common papaya.

[fruitlovers]

That off smell in papayas was bred out ages ago in all the Hawaiian solo papayas. I think the people complaining about the smell must be eating Mexican type papayas, which not only smell bad but are very bland tasting. Their only attraction is huge size. For a long time these giant Mexican papayas were the only papayas available in southern California. But now Hawaii exports to most of continental USA. The problem is only their price. About 5x what we pay for them here. Papayas are so common and cheap here that they have lost a lot of their appeal for that reason alone.

Oscar, what would you consider to be the best-tasting non-GMO papaya varieties from Hawaii?

Don't know about the "best". But my personal local favorite is what we call here strawberry papaya, due to its reddish flesh. It's really the Sunrise solo papaya.

[gnappi]

Let's see described as having a vomit, fishy, BO, musky, sick like, foot smell, what's the reason we LIKE to eat this fruit??? :-)

Anyway, I'm wanting  yet another selection to fill the spots in my yard previously occupied by one seedling from  Home Depot and another from a store bought fruit seeds. But this time I'd like a smaller stature selection (one had a trunk bigger than my waist) maybe someone here can recommend other named varieties?

 TR Hovey is one I'll look for, any others? Availability in So. Fla?

[savemejebus]

Bought a red variety at Doris that says it is from Belize. I think my prior experiences with papaya have ruined the fruit for me - didn't really have a strong smell but I couldn't even bite in for fear of the taste.

Ended up using it in a smoothie this morning.

[gnappi]

>>didn't really have a strong smell but I couldn't even bite in for fear of the taste. <<

Wow! You sure have an aversion to them now, that's too bad.

Initially I didn't care for papaya either, but now I liken them to beer, yogurt, kimchee and other fermented, cultured, semi spoiled foods that you have to (if you're so inclined) acquire a taste for.

[starch]

Initially I didn't care for papaya either, but now I liken them to beer, yogurt, kimchee and other fermented, cultured, semi spoiled foods that you have to (if you're so inclined) acquire a taste for.

That's funny, because I like all that other stuff (beer - hoppier the better, *love* kefir and kombucha, kimchi and yogurt too). So I like strong flavors. Just not that musky aspect.  ... maybe I just need to keep eating it until I force myself to like it

[Cookie Monster]

Yah, papaya is definitely an acquired taste. Once you get used to them, they are an awesome fruit: super sweet, produce year round and within a year from seed, and you don't even have to plant them since the wildlife does that for you.

[gnappi]

Initially I didn't care for papaya either, but now I liken them to beer, yogurt, kimchee and other fermented, cultured, semi spoiled foods that you have to (if you're so inclined) acquire a taste for.

That's funny, because I like all that other stuff (beer - hoppier the better, *love* kefir and kombucha, kimchi and yogurt too). So I like strong flavors. Just not that musky aspect.  ... maybe I just need to keep eating it until I force myself to like it

You need to go to Korea, they have more varieties of Kimchi than we have mango in the States!

I need to talk to Charlie up in West Palm, the last time I was there he had these beautiful 5-6' papaya FULL of orange papayas.

[Treees]

Yah, papaya is definitely an acquired taste. Once you get used to them, they are an awesome fruit: super sweet, produce year round and within a year from seed, and you don't even have to plant them since the wildlife does that for you.

I am a papaya convert.  Hated before, but love now.  Did not like TR Hovey, but now growing  another variety with red flesh, likely Mexican.

Great sweet taste, and pleasant aftertaste.  Slight "vom" hint in smell - which I do not mind but my wife does - I squeeze half of lime on it, which neutralizes the hint in smell and adds extra depth to flavor.  Greatly recommend.

Oh and the green papaya salad I ate in Puerto Rico was easily one of the best salads I ever tried.

[Tropicdude]

I am very sensitive to fruit smell funky, and usually avoid them.   but the papaya grown around here, do not seem to have this bad smell unless they are past ripe.

The Maradols traditionally grown in Mexico are being phased out for the most part, simply because they have no PRSV tolerance.  newer generation varieties like Red Lady, not only taste a lot better, are just as productive, and are PRSV tolerant.

[gnappi]

I am very sensitive to fruit smell funky, and usually avoid them.   but the papaya grown around here, do not seem to have this bad smell unless they are past ripe.

The Maradols traditionally grown in Mexico are being phased out for the most part, simply because they have no PRSV tolerance.  newer generation varieties like Red Lady, not only taste a lot better, are just as productive, and are PRSV tolerant.

Is that known worldwide? I've never seen or heard of it being a problem in the U.S.

Nevermind, WiKI says it is worldwide.