How to Grow The Largest Fruit Native to North America - The Paw Paw
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- Опубліковано 23 сер 2024
- Want to grow North America’s largest native fruit? Then check out the Paw Paw! In this guide I will show you everything you need to know about how to grow the paw paw fruit.
We have thick groves of paw paws in my area. It's fascinating to learn how and where they grow. They definitely like specific areas and I have learned how to hunt for them based on my observations, it's fun. They remind me of a tropical plant and I feel like I am in a rainforest when they are leafed out and fruiting. I often find them growing near black walnuts. Paw paw ecosystems are a valuable asset and should be protected for future generations.
Where are you?
they ARE a tropical plant that survived/adapted during continental drift from their original climate habitat... they seem very much like avocado trees and fruit.
@@susanmiller7560 southern Ohio
They DO grow next to black walnuts! Great observation!
I wonder if I should plant mine growing in the shade of a black walnut, interesting observation
One thing from my experience; PawPaws are extremely easy to grow from seed. I had 2 trees and any bad fruit went right into a pile in the garden (they ripen in the fall) and each spring I'd have dozens of trees sprouting from that over-ripen fruit. When we moved I took a few dozen seeds with us and I now have 8 new trees. BTW I did nothing to the seeds just grabbed some out of the rotting pile and I am an amateur at best.
Good morning and happy 515! My friend gave me a paw paw sapling yesterday. And it’s in a plastic pot. A couple of questions please. Is paw paw a new fad or too late to the game? And instead of planting it in ground, does it do well as a bonsai? And I’m looking forward to your Ancient Hippie wisdom. Thank you.
@@kalebli5502 Right back at ya. I'll be glad to help you learn from my observations and yes mistakes. Don't take my advice as gospel. I can not see these doing good in a pot and I am positive not bonsai material. Each fruit is the size and weight of med to lrg potatoes. Next is my understanding you will need two trees to cross pollinate. And I think they might need to be different varieties unless they are from seeds then any 2 are ok. Next when they are small they hate the sun, that I can verify. My seedlings weren't growing well but after I shaded them, BOOM! Shade them until they reach 2 to 3ft or more. Search for "garden shade cloth" and get cheap stuff. I wrapped 1 layer around a wire fencing and staked it in. After they reach that height they do well in the sun. My trees are now 6+ ft and I don't expect fruit until next year at the earliest. They have been around a long time but almost no one that asks me about them has ever heard about them. And I only met 1 person so far to say they they don't like the non sweetened banana custard taste. Hope that helps.
I got mine from the MO Department of Conservation for about fifty cents each. Thanks for the new growing guide, Luke! I didn't hear you mention that the pawpaw tree not only bears delicious fruit but also is the host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly! Tropical foliage, yummy fruit, and gorgeous butterflies--pawpaw has it all.
How did you go about doing that? I am in missouri. Do they still have them? Thanks
@@jasonlist3253 Look up Missouri department of conversation tree seedlings for sale. They still have some paw paws available but they only opened order forms this month so I wouldn’t wait.
@@zellafae Youre awesome! Thanks
I’m from KC. That’s a great idea.
Thank you, They have an incredible selection. I hope they will ship to Texas. I've been searching for a paw paw tree.
My Paw paw trees are over 20 ft tall. It took 10 years to fruit and I actually grew them because it is the host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly. It also grows extra plant which I think are just growing off the roots. Also you need to pick them when you can smell them because all the wonderful wildlife enjoys them too.
I think also I read that you have to have 2 different varieties for them to produce fruit.
Nash Nurseries told us the same thing, that 2 different varieties are needed for "fruitful" cross pollination. Ours are 4 years old this fall, so let's hope we get nice results like you in another 6 years or so :)
There are bisexual pawpaw trees. They are commonly available in Australia. They are not native to here but do very well
@@nikkibhashkar6327 that is a different fruit that they pawpaw
Were they seed grown? I have heard grafted varieties take 4-5 years.
@@TheMillennialGardener Mine were actually barerooted. I started with about 10, three survived but they have turned into a Grove invading all over the place with a lot of seedlings. This will not be a productive year due to a late cold spell.
I live in zone 5 between Chicago and Milwaukee and have six paw paws growing in my yard. Have had them for about seven years. Got my first paw paw fruit last year. Delicious. I never would have tried growing them as I actually live north of their range but I saw one growing in the Chicago Botanic Garden just south of me. I have not lost a tree, yet, and they have gone through a couple of very cold winters. Haven’t seen any others growing in the area. I have five varieties: Shenandoah, Susquehanna, NC-1, Taytoo, and Rebecca’s Gold.
Hey Trent,
Thanks for your post! I love a little north of you. I’m on the 5a/4b zone line in south central Wisconsin. I e seen some pawpaws in the Madison area and they were established and fruiting. I’m looking to try paws and understand this is risky but I’m willing to chance it.
Do you recall where you got your trees from? Any other advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
How are they doing now? I found a nursery that is in the same zone as I am in St Paul and ordered them.
@Hi Trent! Which variety is your favorite?
@Hi Trent! Which variety is your favorite?
@Hi Trent! Which variety is your favorite?
I threw a bunch of paw paw seeds, that I had picked out of paw paws we were eating, into an old pot that had old potting soil in it (literally just threw them onto the top of the soil). After a year they grew. They have been growing in the same pot for at least 3 years, I have not given it any fertilizer, only gave it water if it was a hot week, it sits out in the weather all year round, all types of weather. Now they are roughly 3-4' tall...I guess I need to find a place to really plant it so thank you for the tips! I hope they grow fruit!
Do you live in the south?
Friends of mine did the same thing from fruit I gave them
Now they have over 30 pawpaws growing around their property
@@evafarley8074 Mid-Atlantic East Coast
@@sn232 Then, I may try that. I live in Tennessee.
@@craigives3375 My dream!! I have 8 so far but not old enough for fruit
I planted 4 pawpaw trees from Stark Bro’s. Nursery 2 years ago, and they are all alive and well today. Great video!
How funny! I started picking Paw paws here in Pennsylvania yesterday!
Good to know! What county? (Trying to judge in Blair County)
@@timgleason2527 sorry just saw this. In Centre county.
I planted my first paw paws last year from Edible Landscaping in Virginia. My paw paws require a pollinator so I bought two compatible trees. I also got a free seedling from Cricket Hill Garden in Connecticut as part of a program I attended. The young trees should have partial shade to prevent leaf damage. I used cut leafy branches to shade my young seedling.
Hi ! Thank you for this video. I know this is 9 months late but I just purchased Pawpaw seedlings and they came in today. Very healthy looking and about 6-7” tall. It came from a grower on Etsy , Blazing star Butterfly in Allegan, MI.
They were not grown in a green house and the card said they are ready to plant in the ground and no hardening off needed.
They were $10 a piece which is more than the seeds I bought 2 years ago and never sprouted. Just wanted to share this info.
Thank you, very timely for me. My brother found some paw paw fruit on a hike and brought me the seeds. I had them in a wet paper towel, in a baggie, in the fridge for about a year and a half. Planted 4 seeds and now have two small seedlings. Need to decide where to plant. Praying they make it through the winter.
I would get a small greenhouse for 50$
Also pawpaws like to grow where spicebush grows naturally so if you happen to have those near your home that's an ideal spot. Seeds stratify best in your fridge in moist peat moss for about 3 to 4 months. Pawpaws are quite pest resistant and produce their own pest deterrent and luckily deer don't like eating them either😊 and they need 2 trees for pollination and each variety has its own unique flavor. Paw paws enjoy riverside areas with dappled sunlight.
When you mentioned the spicebush you made me think of my “favorite” butterfly the spicebush swallowtail, that’s the host plant just like the Pawpaw is the host plant to the zebra swallowtail butterfly. It’s one of the only “pests” but they don’t do much damage and they are so beautiful I see it as a blessing, I’m working towards a pollination farm and eventhough they are likely (but debated) pollinated by beetles and flies but some think the honeybee. I am going to put a bee box by our grove, which stands all of 60-80ft. Wish I could post a pic! They are nuts! But hopefully I’ll have honey with a hint of Pawpaw 🤤 so ours are hermaphrodite and grow like craaaazy for if anyone needs seeds I’ll be stratifying the ones I’m making pulp out of and eating this season
I grew up foraging these in southern Maryland! Absolutely loved the banana, mango like pudding flavor haha
So glad to see you planting Pawpaw. I have six right now with the oldest being 3 years old.
I've ordered a paw paw tree from my local Wild Ones to pick up at their plant sale in May. I'm in zone 5B, though. Thank you for this most helpful video!
I got mine 12 years ago and it took 7 years to get the first fruits from them .I believe that they were about 2 to 3 years old when I got them. I find that they have a fairly deep root system and that they seem to lay down their roots first before they really start putting energy into above ground growth. I have had to cut them back some and it only seemed to make them fruit more. Not a real pruning as such just to get some branches out of the way. By the way I'm in southwestern Ontario Canada. Love your show !
I planted 2 Paw Paw trees in my parents' backyard 2 or 3 years ago, I've been meaning to prune them since they really shout up the past year, good thing I came across this video.
Yes please keep us posted on the growth of the pawpaw 😊
I was literally looking to planting this lol what a perfect coincidence!
I live in TN and planted two trees, three years ago which I got from a nursery. They are doing well. Slow growing, but I feed them with compost and comfrey tea in the spring and summer months and they are healthy and thriving. Can't wait until they set fruit. I did not know about the pruning tip. I'll stop pruning. I didn't realize also how wide they grow, great info. Learned a lot!
I'm in N. MS on the TN line and I can't find these anywhere. What nursery did you purchase from? I've been looking for over a year now.
I got my grafted PawPaw at the MU chestnut roast in Missouri. Forest Keeling nursery sells a bunch of varieties, but you have to pick them up in person, they don't ship. I have a pawpaw on my NC-1 and I only planted it two years ago. Fortunately I have wild paw paws in the area for pollination.
For anyone looking to purchase some seedlings or trees of their own in Ontario, Canada. I have purchased my seedlings from a gentleman on Highway 77 just north of Highway 3 in Leamington. He has a few varieties that he germinates from seed and sells them from a stand near the road. You can also get potted and bare root trees that are a little taller from Grimo Nut nursery in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. I got my trees bareroot from Grimo. My pawpaws have been growing very well (9 on the farm).
Thanks. I was wondering if they were available in Southern Ontario and if they would thrive.
They grow really well where I live (Chatham-Kent). If you are ever in Windsor I recommend taking a look at some nice specimens in the Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve. Plus it's a really nice walking trail.
Thank you! I think they were featured in an Edible foodie magazine I read a couple years ago that got me interested in them!
I was planning on ordering from whiffletree farm and Nursery next year. In Elora, Ontario. They have named cultivars so you know what to expect. I have zero interest in spending years waiting for a mystery seedling to produce without knowing if the fruit is any good.
@@torontohomestead9254 I have never purchased anything from that nursery. I would love to know what your experience is with them when you purchase your trees. Good to know there is another place you can get them. Thank you.
Im zone 5b, I've gotten mine from Stark Brothers, I've got 4 different varieties, an interesting fact about Paw Paw flowers is they smell like rotten meat, bees don't pollinate them, flies do. I've found the first 2 years in the ground, you need to provide partial shade, I make a tee pee out of t posts and wrap some fabic around it with plenty of rips in it to allow partial shade when the sun is overhead. Stark Brothers also sells a great book about the paw paw tree history, I'm hooked.
This is so awesome! I am so excited for your new tree! Great job keeping this tree in people’s thoughts to encourage more growers of this fruit:)
Ahhhh!! I've been wanting to get a paw paw tree for ages now! Thanks for doing this video. I'm going to keep investigating to see if I can find any around here. Fwiw I learned that they can grow even as north as here in Ontario from a foodie magazine that interviewed someone who grows them here. So it's possible even further up north!
All these difficulties are exactly why it is so delightful to forage paw paws - imagine getting something free from nature that money literally can't buy!
I live in southern Virginia and they grow everywhere! I actually foraged the fruits because I’ve been wanting to grown more native plants. I have many fruits sitting in my kitchen for their seeds, I had no idea they were edible 🤷🏽♀️ 😮
You forgot to mention they aren’t self pollinating so you’ll need two seedlings or different varieties. Might want to add that so people don’t plant one and wait years to never get fruit.
They also have a very long tap root which is why they are nearly impossible to transplant.
How far or close together do you think they should be planted?
yes, they have a long tap root. Strange, that he said the roots are shallow. He should have mentioned you cannot transplant them after you have planted. They will not survive the transplant.
@@sjames8883i need to know this as well
I bought mine about 6 years ago and last year was the first it gave me any fruit. Only a few. This year I've also seen only a few fruit. Hard to see them on the tree. I'm in zone 5 Mid Michigan. I did make the mistake of planting in full sun, and without any shelter. However, they are doing really well. My husband even ran over one of them the first 2 years and it came back like gang busters and caught back up with the other Paw paw I planted with it. It's a beautiful tree.
We got ours from Indiana Berry company. Highly recommend them! This was our third time having paw paw trees shipped to us, and Indiana Berry's quality was incredible! Trees lived and thrived
We have the PawPaw Fair every year in Marion County Rivesville, West Virginia. The festival is held in late July. They might have one in Ohio too. We are also in zone 6a/6b. Love watching and learning from your videos!! I enjoy your enthusiasm of growing everything.
The one in Morgantown is quite nice too. I enjoy the Ohio Lake Snowden one but being a WV native and ..Idk it was smaller and just more easily accessed info plus free!
First time I picked and tasted a paw paw was many years ago. But I knew I wanted to plant these trees. Finally a friend here in North Florida has been cultivating paw paws and I picked up three small plants from him. they are finally establishing themselves and growing nicely under the canopy of a giant pecan tree on the south side near the cinder block wall of the house. I hope I live long enough to pick the fruit. lol. Thank you for taking this one on.
I am so glad that you’re from Michigan and that I finally found someone near my growing zone over here in Grand Rapids.
It’s always nice to have a frame of reference and not have to modify too much.
A little more zone 5 but still we’ll see where we move next and maybe we will cross paths at the festival! That sounds awesome to go to for me.
I am a little south of you in Kalamazoo, and just bought 2 pawpaw seedlings at a Farmers market.
LUKE IS BEST OF D BEST !!! EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE CHANNEL. 🌱 Thanks a million....😊
Thank you for sharing, I am in Now Jersey, and starting a Paw paw in my yard. They grow at my old University Georgian Court.
Thanks for the info. I was able to start some paw paws from seed and it wasn't very difficult.
I bought my Pawpaw trees from Owosso MI Nash Nursery. They have had Pawpaw trees a very long time.
We have several on my property here in central Kentucky. Our first attempts died out within a season, the wife then found a native plant nursery and got larger saplings, and they're doing well. She's more interested in using them as a host plant for the native fauna, I don't believe in planting anything unless you can eat it. We've paired them up with persimmon trees.
Here W central Indiana,, I’ve been watching papas for a couple of years now. I see lots of papa bush but very few fruits. ?
They're supposed to be great chicken feed too, higher in protein than other fruits.
I'm going to a pawpaw festival and plan on buying a few trees.. this was so needed!!!
In ohio?
@@MIgardener no. Pennsylvania
York County to be exact for anyone in the area interested
I like just 20 minutes from the Pawpaw Festival! I have them growing naturally all over this area in SE Ohio. I just bought two plants this year so I can have them in my yard!
I bought 4 on Ebay
2 were select the other 2 common pawpaw seedlings
I gave 3 away
Replaced the with
mango pawpaw
Sunflower pawpaw
Shenandoah pawpaw
Finally got to taste the fruit this year 😋
How long did it take to bear fruit?
Peaceful Heritage is probably the king of pawpaws online. I planted 2 of their grafted pawpaws next to each other last summer. They sold out in a couple hours - I was able to snag them, but I didn’t know they were so popular. I’m hoping for fruit in another 2-3 years. Are you planning on planting a second tree next to it? You’ll need a second tree for cross-pollination.
There are 2 commercial self-fertile varieties
I have many growing wild in my woods!
@@geanvincentalmendras1559 Luke planted a seedling, which is a random cross and will require pollination. I think some have said Sunflower is self-fertile (if memory serves), but there is conflicting information out there. Planting a grafted variety and waiting 4-5 years crossing your fingers on a pawpaw isn’t a good idea, in my opinion. Pawpaw’s don’t have the domestic culture of other fruit trees, so I wouldn’t put as much trust in the claims as you can well-known fruits like apples, peaches, pears, etc.
Always great to work with Blake at peaceful heritage, he also wrote a great book geared towards pawpaw growers! I’m lucky to be so close to KSU, peaceful heritage, and England’s orchard. All of them are top notch pawpaw resources.
Good luck even being able to purchase one they are sold out 364 and a half days year.
We got two pawpaw trees last fall from Stark Brothers. The trees arrived in good condition. We planted them and surrounded them with cages because so many deer come through our yard. The deer munch on so many of our plants. We couldn't find out if deer eat pawpaws, but we didn't want to take the risk. The trees leafed out beautifully in the spring and grew a few inches as well. After reading the book _Grow a Little Fruit Tree_ by Ann Ralph, we'd been planning on keeping the pawpaws at the more manageable height of 8 feet tall, but it sounds like we'd better re-think that. We have some time to figure it out, since the trees are currently about 24 inches tall.
There are actually a lot of nurseries selling these as seedlings or trees in various stages of growth. Kentucky State University kicked off the project to bring these back into the public sphere. Under their program, I received 10 seeds for free three years ago and they all germinated. I've lost a few over the last three years and will be putting them in the ground this Fall after they go dormant. I will then be ordering cultivated varieties from nurseries I have an order history with. There are several improved varieties out there now and more being worked on.
I’m so excited! My dear friend was just telling me how excited she was that she found some growing in Flint! I had never heard of them and now I’m so excited to grow one one day!
Paw paw festival near athens ohio usually has starts and the festival is next week.
I was excited to see this! There are pawpaw trees on my grandpa's blueberry farm in southwest MI, and most people don't know what they are.
They have cultivated so many varieties and I hope to have a few on my property soon! You can find so many, and if you pay a lot more (they're so expensive), you can get them closer to fruiting. I can't wait! 😁
I planted several this spring and going to try my hand with seeds as well.
Very timely. I just ordered two pawpaw trees to add to my garden
I have them coming up in my garden from throwing the seeds out back hoping for a tree, love hunting for them , I have a great place here in Illinois that I go to get them every September when they are ripe
There’s a lot of good information from Kentucky state university about pawpaws. Sept 16th, they hold an event teaching about pawpaws. If you can’t make the trip they go live on Facebook. I know this video is well intended but some of what you’re saying is misinformed. It’s not difficult to get seeds to germinate, and if you know that both parents have good fruit quality the offspring will too. Wild pawpaws can be seedy, and even unpleasant. From my research, seedy local pawpaws make good rootstock trees. There’s quite a few good commercial quality cultivars, but a lack of commercial orchards.
Tim, I have heard folks, not MI Gardener, suggesting to dry the seeds before planting, but other say that drying the seeds will dramatically reduce the germination rate. Perhaps this causes or contributes to the confusion regarding getting reliable sapling sources? 🤔
@@EvaLovasco yea, you definitely don't want the seeds to dry out. It's like anything else online there's a lot of misinformation and people parroting things they've heard but not verified. Most pawpaw nurseries sell out pretty quickly so it can be tough getting the trees that you want.
We are growing quite a few pawpaws that we started from seed, with about 50% germination rate. We also enjoy foraging for wild ones as they are very prevalent in forests here in the Carolinas!
We were lucky enough to move into a farmhouse with pawpaws already but wad wondering why we couldn’t find more variety for our new orchard this was great 👍🏼 content you always make great videos cover all the bases appreciate u always
I am growing many seedling pawpaw trees in Chesley, Ontario, and will have them available to buy starting next spring.
Greetings,
Are you selling any seedlings this spring?
Thanks!
A friend of mine who lives in northern Mississippi has Hundreds of Paw Paw trees growing throughout her forest. I've never tasted the fruit.
Deer LOVE them!
My experience here in South East Queensland, Australia is quite different. I had fruit on my small paw paw trees within four years, grown directly from seed which I sowed into one of my raised beds, I simply transplanted all the ones that came up.
Here in Townsville, North Queensland, they grow rapidly up here!
Are you sure your not talking about papaya? … American Paw paw is different than papaya or what you call paw paw.
Here From Arms Family! So cool finding out about you because im trying to get into gardening with my mom so ill be checking and liking all your videos I can tell already💯💪🙏🤙
I managed to find 2 paw paw seedlings (grafted I believe) here in Japan!! I bought them. One didn't make it...I think the soil didn't drain enough. But the other is still going. It's in a pot but I'm hoping to plant it soon. Supposedly (according to my local garden center where I bought it) there is a supplier here in Japan producing these seedlings. I know I need 2 to get fruit, so I'm going to pick up a few more next year and see if I can get another one growing.
There is a Paw Paw Festival tomorrow, here in Louisville, KY
We have always had paw paws growing wild everywhere on my property. When I was a kid and camping I always like the big smooth leaves for toilet paper 😅
I grow mine in between taller fruit trees in my backyard. Plum, peach, persimmon, apple, and cherry all have paw paw planted within 15 ft of the trucks. Took 5 years for my paw paw to bear fruit.
You need at least two as they are not self pollinating. 3 is a best practice in case one dies.
Pretty much a pest free tree.
Pawpaw has weak wood that will snap in strong winds or bend down to prune.
If planted in direct sun, the tree needs shaded for 1st and 2nd years, or it will struggle.
If you live in a snow state ( you need those chill hours), find a wild tree, collect the fruit, put the seeds in the ground asap, and wait till next spring. As the moisture content drops, the germination rate nose dives.
Luke are you telling me that 1000s of paw paw trees on my families farm might actually be worth something!? They grow like a weed on our farm 😂
I will buy one.
@@connie4762 they would be wild no grafts. I wouldn’t even know what to charge lol
@@onfarm6521 the price I saw was starting at $7.95. I presume it goes up with the size. If you decide on a new business, I'd be interested in buying one too. 🙂
@@gardengatesopen All good points! And, btw, love your handle. I'm guessing the water shoots are as undesirable as my neighbor's Aspen shoots popping up in my yard. Those are what I was thinking of. Just guessing here but if they're dug and shipped in the late fall as they go into dormancy, they'd most likely do well transplanting at that time. Just sayin' ... 🙂
This all may be moot if that's not their vision for the future.☺️
Fruit is tuff to come by because it’s crack cocaine to deer and the location is covered in stinging nettle so I’m not sure many people would be interested in going to get them. I’ll have to think about it lol
I live in Kentucky and a friend gave me a pawpaw about 20 years ago, I ate it and kept the seeds and I just threw them out in my woods in my holler where there was shade and they grew a small forest. I didn’t even plant the seeds! I figured I do it the way mother nature does and it worked beyond my expectations, Way beyond! there must be at least 50 pawpaw trees on my hillsides now but getting the pawpaws before the birds do or whatever other critters eat them is the issue. I don’t mind sharing with them just wish they’d leave a little for me. Lol!
This is so interesting new subscriber, enjoying all the comments from everyone.... cheers from Pennsylvania 👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
We bought lovely paw paw trees at Nash Nurseries in Owosso, Michigan. Try them.
I've gotten two seedlings from a pawpaw grower here in NJ. They love some shade when they're little. Mine are planted on cardboard with built up soil and mulch. Hopefully, they'll take.
whats the growers website im in nj and really want to buy small business for my garden
I've been growing mine shaded with a really crappy pillow case as a tent to simulate canopy shade. Though I'm in it's northern most zone, so this winter will determine if I hunt down some different verities.
We have tons of trees along our creek. Thank you for the information. We are wanting to pull some up to the house.
I have roughly 25 paw paws in my nursery all started from seed, it takes a long time for the seeds to sprout since the seeds grow roots first. My seed germination rate is 95% so I'm unsure why people say it's hard..
They are growing in my woods but when I try to transplant them they die.
I have the same issue, i have tried seed and transplants with no luck. How do you germinate your seeds?
@@Toyreview2 I put my seeds in the fridge in a ziplock and plant them when the ground thaws in spring.
@@dk2614 I have not tried the fridge yet, just direct sow in the fall. Perhaps there are roots down there that just have not sprouted shoots yet. Last year was the first year. Thanks for the tip.
@@Toyreview2 I have read be that they germinate sporadically, I simply haven't experienced that myself. To be fair I grow many different species of trees from seed mostly for my bonsai hobby. But I am also interested in permaculture.
Just bought some of your seeds. I’m excited to try them!! And thank you!!
I got a combo pack of 4 in Portland oregon area. And they froze with at least 3/4 inch of ice last year and came back fine. Protect young trees from heavy wind.
I started seeds last year. I found the seeds in soil with constant water four inches below the dirt did the best. Also those in shade. Not what expected.
Good to know!
So glad for this, I have been looking for the seeds for over 2years.
Luke, since I live in Paw Paw, Mi this was very interesting. 👍
I'm in NC Iowa and I grew some seedlings from seeds this year. Hoping they survive our winter!
A park near me has a bunch of pawpaws growing in the understory of huge black walnut and hickory trees. The vast majority of them have only have about a 3” caliper but are 20ft+ tall trying to reach for the sun. I brought a big fruit to my grandma last night and it was the first pawpaw she had in 75 years.
I'm so glad I saw this! I saw a cluster in the woods and wondered what they were.
Pawpaws grow everywhere here in Kentucky. I’ve found them along hiking trails. Sometimes you can get them at farmers markets and fruit auctions.
So I have found some seeds in central Michigan and have had success germinating them. Would they grow well in West Mochigan, given the well draining sandy soil and the milder winters?
They are native to Michigan. I have 2 doing well 3 years now.
We are in Chatham area and our PawPaw is growing good, it’s about three years for us growing but it came about 5ft tall! Has very green leaves and a couple sprouts and we have it besides garden bed in the backyard! Covered with wood chips and I spread compost on him in the spring! It has good drainage! It’s about 10 ft high! I was going to spread rabbit poo on it this fall? What do you think! Is that ok? Love your channel! Nancy from Canada
If you want fruit you will have to get a second tree that is compatible for pollination.
One Green World nursery here in Portland, Oregon is the place to get paw paw trees. They just posted they had a restock of some varieties (Allegheny, Sunflower, Mango, Prolific, Maria’s Joy & Potomac). They sell 1 and 2 gallon sizes (and sometimes have up to 5 gallon) so you don't have to wait 15 years for fruit.
Pawpaws have a deep tap root, and do like acidic soil down to ph5.5, and they do like wet feet in the spring. Additionally, they can often get up to 25 feet tall.
Fast Growing Trees has Paw Paws. Well, sometimes. They are sold out right now, but keep checking with them. Also, you want to plant at least 2 different kinds of Paw Paws. Mine bore fruit in about 5 years.
That has been the problem, they are all sold out 99% of the time.
@@MIgardener, set up an email reminder so they'll send notification when they come in stock again.
Paw paw trees have a fun name!
There's a folk song," Way down yonder in Paw paw patch." Pretty fun too
@@dk2614 lol
I bought three of my four pawpaws from Stark Brothers. The fourth I got from a local place that has since gone out of business. Two of the stark bros trees bear fruit as does the local one. The third stark bros tree still hasn’t born fruit yet.
I planted them between 5-6 years go and have gotten fruit off them the last three years.
Hi Luke,
Just moved to Michigan and your channel helps me how to garden in cold climate.
Can you please share with me where you got that gray pot you had your Paw Paw seedling in.
True Fan!
I can find lots of pawpaws along creeks and rivers all over Ky and they all had a good tasting fruit never had a bad one
I preordered 2 from Etsy. I received them dormant bare root. After 2 weeks I had leaves. I’m in Florida zone 9a. 🙏🏽😊
chia sẻ hay
Great info. Here in Southern Ohio, some of the larger paw paw trees in the forest are easily 25-30 feet tall. It appears the trees are spreading due to Ash Trees dying and they fill in, taking advantage of the new sunlight. Not sure if they get that large in mid Michigan, though. Also agree about the taste. Some fruits are mealy and not very good, while others are amazing.
Paw paws have a long taproot - not a shallow root system. My bareroot seedlings indeed came to me with long tap roots. I mulch them with fall leaves. I have NEVER watered them (I do live in a climate that gets a decent amount of rain), and they're taller than I am after 4 years - doing great. Paw paws grow up in an upward cone. I mistakenly pruned mine in their first year, but they corrected that and turned into upward cones. The nursery in Ontario that sold them (and has a ton of them on their property) to me said that they like to start in shade but fruit most prolifically in full sun. So I have 3-ft. tall cages with burlap around them and am letting them grow without shade beyond that - they're doing great It's the trunks that don't like the sun.
Which nursery in Ontario did you get the paw paw bare-root seedlings from?
Here in nw Ohio. I find pawpaw in the woods all the time. So apparently they grow well here and I. The shade 👍🏻👍🏻
Rain tree nursery in Morten wa has paw paw you can order online. We have 3! So far so good👍
Great topic! We live in Northeast Ohio and have discovered a large grove of Paw Paws in a deep ravine in the forest behind our house. Only 2 trees in the grove of hundreds actually produce fruit. I wonder if these have mutated from the other root connected clones? Any ideas as to how to increase pollination/productivity? I have considered collecting samples from other groves in the region to increase genetic diversity. Thanks for the tip on the festival! What a cool native fruit.
Paw paws have to grow to at least 6 ft before they will flower. Are the trees too immature?
If the majority of the pawpaw trees are from underground runners, then the parent tree and runners will not be able to pollinate each other. Pawpaw trees that sprouted from seeds will be able to pollinate. Variety is key, as runners from the parent tree are genetically identically and don't cross-pollinate each other.
It seems to be a fairly old naturally occurring grove. There are some trees that are 15+ feet tall. Lots of runners spreading as well. I am curious how two of the trees are actually able to produce fruit in a grove full of genetically identical copies.
I got mine from stark bros, not sure if its all varieties but the ones I have were not self pollinating so you need multiples to get fruit. Mine just got in the ground last fall but seem to be doing really well already.
I’m in upstate S. Carolina and they grow here. I have tons in my property within the forest and at the edge of it. They fruit but the deer gets to them before I do.
I got my 3 seedlings from gurneys and they seem to be doing pretty well. Just planted them this year though
Thanks for the basic details. Do you need two for fruit?
Z6a I have Michigan pawpaw trees the last 17 years . One huge 15’tall and 10’wide . Pick good spot they Don’t transplant well . Like raspberries well drained not to dry ,then they grow themselves. I’m planting more where they grow the best with the biggest tree now. 5 trees now .
Awesome and informative video, I hope that paw paw tree does the migardener name justice!