Author Topic: Florida native Paw Paws, looking for seeds  (Read 664 times)

Tropheus76

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Florida native Paw Paws, looking for seeds
« on: November 21, 2022, 09:05:11 AM »
Does anyone know of any sellers of Florida native Paw Paws? I am looking for either seeds or seedlings. Species I am looking for:
Asimina Parviflora (Smallflower Pawpaw)
Asimina Pygmaea  (Dwarf Pawpaw)
Asimina Incana (Wooly Pawpaw)
Asimina Angustifolia  (Slimleaf Pawpaw)
Asimina Reticulata (Netted Pawpaw)
Asimina Tetramera  (Four Petaled Pawpaw)
 
Also a source of native plums and blue berries would be cool too.
Setting up a small food forest which is currently a 150x105 foot area of palmetto scrub, pine and oak.

D-Grower

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Re: Florida native Paw Paws, looking for seeds
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2022, 09:24:03 AM »
I've got native blueberry of a few species on my land as well as chickasaw plum. Do have some native pawpaw around here too but not fruiting on my land yet. Didn't collect seeds this year either unfortunately. Do have some seedlings that are almost dormant but aren't that big yet. Think the are A. longisfolia but might be another species. I have found native trilobas here in the panhandle but wasn't around them when the fruit was ripe. I'll try to get some next year. Perhaps one native in the panhandle would be better for more southward in Florida than the seeds from further north.
Trying to grow it all!

FloridaManDan

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Re: Florida native Paw Paws, looking for seeds
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2022, 09:42:34 AM »
I have been looking for some A. parviflora and A. obovata for awhile, let me know if you find a good seed source. There are etsy options but not sure on the viability of seeds from a lot of the sellers there.

If you're purchasing these species to establish a food forest however, I would not recommend any of those you listed. Mainly because they do not produce sizeable fruits, and the production time is years out compared to a grafted tree. My suggestion would be to invest in 2-3+ grafted Susquehanna Pawpaw trees (A. triloba). A. triloba is technically native to the northern part of the state, as D-Grower mentioned, but the Susquehanna cultivar is popular in the Southeast for its heat/sun tolerance compared to other American pawpaw cultivars; it should do just fine in Zone 9. I currently have one in Zone 10 hoping to see how it does.

The other species are great for pollinators though and would be a more beneficial garden addition in that way.

Best of luck.

Asiminus

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Re: Florida native Paw Paws, looking for seeds
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2022, 10:10:58 AM »
I have been looking for some A. parviflora and A. obovata for awhile, let me know if you find a good seed source. There are etsy options but not sure on the viability of seeds from a lot of the sellers there.

If you're purchasing these species to establish a food forest however, I would not recommend any of those you listed. Mainly because they do not produce sizeable fruits, and the production time is years out compared to a grafted tree. My suggestion would be to invest in 2-3+ grafted Susquehanna Pawpaw trees (A. triloba). A. triloba is technically native to the northern part of the state, as D-Grower mentioned, but the Susquehanna cultivar is popular in the Southeast for its heat/sun tolerance compared to other American pawpaw cultivars; it should do just fine in Zone 9. I currently have one in Zone 10 hoping to see how it does.

The other species are great for pollinators though and would be a more beneficial garden addition in that way.

Best of luck.

I tried the last two years with bought obovata and parviflora seeds from tradewindfruits and etsy. Unfortunately with no success.. I suspect the seeds were not fresh and dried out, so I would love to get some fresh seeds if possible!

Tropheus76

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Re: Florida native Paw Paws, looking for seeds
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2022, 10:28:10 AM »
I have a couple of the bigger tribolatas(?) and a tiny dwarf pawpaw seedling currently growing out in tall pots. I got the dwarf from tradewinds(I think) and it germinated and sprouted within days. That said I am very leery of tradewinds and tend to have poor luck overall with them on more hard to find seeds. I have a few of the large flower seeds in a heated seed tray right now but they have only been in there about a week.

I think there is a native nursery up in Wild Wood but havent made it up there to see and not sure if they have paw paws. There used to be a paw paw specific nursery but it apparently went out of business a while back.

D-Grower

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Re: Florida native Paw Paws, looking for seeds
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2022, 11:07:15 AM »
Yes a believe the one woman that had a nursery for all the native types is no longer in business. Tried contacting her a few times with no reply.
Trying to grow it all!

FloridaManDan

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Re: Florida native Paw Paws, looking for seeds
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2022, 11:46:24 AM »
I have had good success with various seeds purchased from the Etsy seller Floridaseeds1, I believe they have their own website as well. The A. obovata was more or less recently posted, which coincides with the time of harvest being not too long ago for this species. That would be my best bet for freshest seeds atm if you don't find anyone else to trade with.
Could also try contacting Dan (forum member Gulfcoastgardening), I believe he is a pawpaw fan/collector as well.

elouicious

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Re: Florida native Paw Paws, looking for seeds
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2022, 01:39:06 PM »
Asimina seeds sometimes take more than a year to sprout fwiw

patience is a virtue

Asiminus

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Re: Florida native Paw Paws, looking for seeds
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2022, 01:59:20 PM »
Asimina seeds sometimes take more than a year to sprout fwiw

patience is a virtue

I still have the pots with A. obovata and parviflora seeds from 2 and 1 year ago :) Hopefully you are right. While my experience with A. triloba is that they sprout immediately in spring so a couple months later.