Asimina triloba
Object Details
- Description
- The pawpaw (from the Arawakan word for papaya, although unrelated) can grow either individually, or in thickets of fruit producing trees. The range of this North American fruit is likely due to several Native American tribes who cultivated the pawpaw for food and some additional purposes. Due to clear cutting, the pawpaw population has decreased and become isolated. Now, this fruit is eaten more by wildlife than people.
- The pawpaw grows the farthest north of any member of the otherwise tropical Annonaceae family, and has the largest fruit of any native North American tree. Its fruit is described as tasting like a custardy banana.
- Endangered in New Jersey, Threatened in New York.
- Hardiness
- -20 - 30 F
- Attracts
- Zebra Swallowtail; Butterflies w/ host
- Bloom Time
- April to May
- Ethnobotanical Uses
- Fruit used for food. Iroquois mashed the fruit and dried it in small cakes for storage. Cherokee used pawpaw for food, but also used inner bark to make cordage.
- Provenance
- Uncertain
- Range
- Central to E. US; E. Canada
- Habitat
- Humid climates; in the shade in open woods
- Topic
- Trees
- Living Collections
- See more items in
- Smithsonian Gardens Tree Collection
- On Display
- National Museum of Natural History
- Data Source
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Accession Number
- 2011-0995A
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Common Name
- Custard Apple
- Papaw
- Pawpaw
- Pawpaw apple
- Custard Banana
- False Banana
- Poor Man's Banana
- Hoosier Banana
- Indiana Banana
- Michigan Banana
- Nebraska Banana
- White Plum
- Group
- [vascular plants]
- Class
- Equisetopsida
- Subclass
- Magnoliidae
- Superorder
- Magnolianae
- Order
- Magnoliales
- Family
- Annonaceae
- Genus
- Asimina
- Species
- triloba
- Life Form
- Deciduous tree
- Average Height
- 20-40'
- Bark Characteristics
- Young twigs are hairy. Bark is thin with shallow, irregular fissures.
- Bloom Characteristics
- 1.5-2" in diameter. Has three sepals and six velvety petals which are stiff and curl back slightly. Flowers appear before leaves.
- Fall Color
- Yellow
- Foliage Characteristics
- Bright green, simple, alternate, obovate leaves with smooth margins and pointed tips. 4-12" long. Coated with fine whitish hairs on top surface and rusty colored hairs beneath. Leaves smell like bell peppers when bruised.
- Fruit Characteristics
- Yellowish, green, or brown, fleshy, oblong, and thick fruit which is up to 6" long. Fruit's custardy pulp contains several dark brown seeds. Fruit grows individually, or in groups of 2-4. Ripen in August to October.
- Structure
- Broad, spreading
- Record ID
- ofeo-sg_2011-0995A
