Asimina triloba - Pawpaw, American Custard Apple, West Virginia Banana, Indiana Banana

For centuries, American Indians appreciate the ca. 300g weight, 10 cm long fruits of the Pawpaw (the name is derived from Papaya)with their green peel that ripen in autumn. It is the biggest fruit native to North America at all (Asimina triloba). The yellow- whitish pulp melts in the mouth and is very nutricious. It has a refreshing, exotic taste that cannot be compared to any of the Central European fruits but is similar to Sugar-Apple (Anona). In winter, the tree top is bald and tolerates even sharp frost of down to -20 °C. The slowly growing trees can grow to 4 - 6 m hight (half the size in a pot) and form an oblong- oval- shaped tree top. Its leaves are about 30 cm long, light green, thin and change colour to golden yellow in autumn. The maroon to crimson flowers usually appear previous to the new shoots in April/ Mai. Each flower has several ovaries, so that a pollinated flower can produce several fruits. The own pollen is not always good for pollination. It is therefor better to plant two genetically different trees of a grafted variety like ‘Overleese’. ‘Sunflower’ is reliably self-fertile variety. In their first years, Pawpaw trees need a half-shady place. As they grow older they will tolerate more sun. The soil should be constantly kept slightly humid. Due to the slow growth there is usually no need for pruning. Native to the East of the USA, Pawpaw Trees are very hardy plants and very suitable for containers. Pawpaw Trees are a real newcomer and, unfortunately, only a little number of it is being cultivated.

Varieties:
'Sunflower': Self-fertile variety: no cross-pollination necessary. One tree makes a yearly crop sure. Fruit medium in size. Flesh golden, skin yellowish-green, thin. Few seeds. Flavor intensive. Crop starts middle of September
'Overleese': Fruits large. Fewer seeds, but large and easy to remove. Flesh yellow. Flavor excellent. Ripening from beginning of october.
'Davis': Large fruits. Seeds large. Flavor excellent: sweet, creamy. Yearly high crops of high quality. Ripening from middle of september.
'Mango': Large fruits of intensive, sweet taste. Flesh orange-yellow. Variety grows more rapidly than others and forms beautiful, medium-sized trees. Crop starts beginning of october.
'Mitchell': Very popular variety for home-gardening in the USA - and for sure soon in Europe. Fruits medium, flesh golden. Flavor excellent, sweet. Crop starts middle of September.
'NC-1': Fruit-size: large. Taste: highly regarded. Flesh: light orange. Crop: very early from beginning of September. Canadian breeding.
'Pennsylvania Golden': Recently selected variety. Crop one of the earliest of all Asiminas: starts sometimes in August, for sure beginning of septembre. Fruits very sweet and tasteful.
'Prolific': Fruits large. Crop starts very shortly after grafting (second year of planting). Early ripening: middle of septembre. Bears very constantly each year. Flesh yellow. Flavor excellent.
'Rebeccas Gold': A breed from California, but as hardy as other varieties. Yearly good crops granted. Fruits large, richly flavored and very sweet.
'Sweet Alice': Grows more compact and stays smaller than other varieties. Fruits large. Flesh creamy, orange-yellow, sweet.
'Taylor': Fruits medium in size. Abundant crop each year. Flesh yellow, green skin. Flavor mild, excellent. Early ripening: crop starts beginning of september
'Taytwo': Fruits large. Flesh very tasty and sweet, light yellow. Ripening starts beginning of october.
'Wells':Fruits very large. Flesh orange. Magnificent taste has led to a row of awards for this exceptionel variety. Crop starts beginning of October
'Wilson': Bears yearly good crops of high quality by the beginning of october. Fruit-size: large. Flesh: greenish-yellow. Taste: sweet, flavorful, intensiv.

Quality: new fruit tree with high potential for Europaean gardens; very hardy; tasty & big & nutricious fruits
Use: planted in the garden; in pots from March/ April to November outside on balcony, terrace and in the garden; all year in an unheated greenhouse