OT: Mysterious 'Pawpaw' Fruit in High Demand Across Japan

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Registered:1252379847
Posts: 1,162

Posted 1422381031	Reply with quote #1

Bass has been promoting Pawpaw for as long as I have been a F4FF member. This is for you Bass. As mentioned in the article, it has an avocado consistency with a mango-banana flavor profile is an accurate description according to my taste buds. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201501260001 __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

veggie_girl

Registered:1413504464
Posts: 29

Posted 1422401949	Reply with quote #2

Another fruit I love!!

MGorski

Registered:1399823521
Posts: 370

Posted 1422407060	Reply with quote #3

That was nice to read, I'm glad pawpaws are getting some attention in other parts of the world. I wonder if the farmers are growing seed grown plants or grafted selections? I like the idea of processing the fruit into gelato to get around the shipping and spoilage issues that pawpaw have. Mike in Hanover, VA __________________ Zone-7, previously Mescalito

sdpmd

Registered:1419217136
Posts: 17

Posted 1422410789	Reply with quote #4

I'm new to figs but not new to PawPaws! Certainly enjoy watching the fruit grow and eating them. I have three varieties, each 8-12 feet in height, with them bearing fruit for the past three years. The main difficulty I've had with them is the difficulty in eating a hundred fruit within a few days. Once ripe, the fruit begins to spoil fairly quickly, quicker than figs from my experience. Young trees don't like full sun and don't like being transplanted. My trees are understory, under a canopy of Austrian Pines and Pin Oaks. Older trees tolerate full sun and bear more fruit because of the increased sun exposure. The trees seem to be drought tolerant. PawPaw is the largest native Kansas fruit, growing wild in groves in Eastern Kansas. Newer varieties tend to have fewer seeds. Others may know much more about this, but there actually are fall PawPaw festivals in several US states. I hope to attend one in the next 2-3 years. I believe that my trees were ordered from ForestFarm.com. One Green World and Edible Landscaping carry great varieties. I live on 1.25 acres in the middle of my city and am trying to grow as many different fruiting plants as I can for the enjoyment of my children and grandchildren. I'm glad I planted the PawPaws some 5-6 year back. Minimal pests, heat/cold/drought tolerant with tropical looking leaves, strange, little purple flowers pollinated by flies (in the spring, I hang up pieces of road-kill in the trees to attract the flies) and great tasting fruit. How can anyone go wrong with all of that? __________________ Steve Penner Eastborough, Kansas Zone 6a/b And the trees said to the fig tree, 'You come and reign over us.' But the fig tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?' Judges 9:10,11 ESV

RichinNJ

Registered:1374784282
Posts: 1,687

Posted 1422413662	Reply with quote #5

I planted 3 from Stark Bros. this fall. Maybe in a couple years we will get to try one or two

Briian1972

Registered:1407645078
Posts: 57

Posted 1422414893	Reply with quote #6

I got a few of these trees some from seeds I got from Tennessee and a couple grated trees from georgia collins and eastern. I have them in pots light shade. I will put in partial to full sun in another year! I have never eaten one but I can hardly wait! __________________ LIVE OAK, FL ZONE 8B figs growing LSU PURPLE, BROWN TURKEY, MAGNOLIA, BLACK MISSION, PETERS HONEY WISH LIST any variety that grow well in zone 8b

indestructible87

Registered:1368407095
Posts: 548

Posted 1422415975	Reply with quote #7

Steve, I was aware of people hanging up rotting meat for pollination, I'm not so sure my neighbors would take to kindly to that. As far as having too much fruit, can't pawpaws be scooped out and seeded and frozen without processing? __________________ Travis Pittsburgh, PA

sdpmd

Registered:1419217136
Posts: 17

Posted 1422420252	Reply with quote #8

Our lots are 1+ acre each, wooded, and the neighbors don't spend much time outdoors. I hang a small piece of rotting meat in each tree. Not much odor that I can tell. My youngest daughter is getting married in the yard this May- my wife says the hanging meat is not happening this year! I am aware of various ways PawPaws can be used other than eating out of hand. I'm going to try making PawPaw ice cream. Attending a PawPaw festival will, I'm certain, give me many other ideas. __________________ Steve Penner Eastborough, Kansas Zone 6a/b And the trees said to the fig tree, 'You come and reign over us.' But the fig tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?' Judges 9:10,11 ESV

indestructible87

Registered:1368407095
Posts: 548

Posted 1422420948	Reply with quote #9

Quote: Originally Posted by sdpmd Our lots are 1+ acre each, wooded, and the neighbors don't spend much time outdoors. I hang a small piece of rotting meat in each tree. Not much odor that I can tell. My youngest daughter is getting married in the yard this May- my wife says the hanging meat is not happening this year! I am aware of various ways PawPaws can be used other than eating out of hand. I'm going to try making PawPaw ice cream. Attending a PawPaw festival will, I'm certain, give me many other ideas. There's a big festival in Albany, Ohio every fall, I always forget about it. I've been wanting to go for years. Always wanted to try pawpaw beer. __________________ Travis Pittsburgh, PA

possum_trot

Registered:1269047402
Posts: 224

Posted 1422424803 · Edited	Reply with quote #10

I am aware of a couple of people that are breeding and improving pawpaws. They seem to improve with each generation of selected breeding. Jerry Lehman, here in Indiana is doing a lot of work with them and coming up with some amazing fruit. Also, Cliff England in KY is working with them. And then there is Kentucky State University, they are doing a lot with them, too. And Neal Peterson, of the Peterson pawpaws is continuing his work. Cliff told me last week that he has sold a ton of scion wood this season, already, and a lot of it went to Korea. I am growing them from selected seed each year and this year I was able to get some really interesting hand pollinated seed. For those of you with named varieties, I hope you are saving your seed. With both parents named and selected for their good qualities, the seeds will produce fruit as good as, or better than the parents. __________________ Susan Brown County, Indiana zone 6

SycamoreFarm

Registered:1421601293
Posts: 19

Posted 1422424979 · Edited	Reply with quote #11

Pawpaws are one of my most looked forward to things each year. We have wild patches all over the state. There's an area a few minutes from my apartment that is literally acres upon acres of wild pawpaws growing as an understory tree. I can pick them for about a three week span depending on which trees get more sun exposure (these trees ripen earlier). I went twice this fall and picked 50 lbs. in about a half hour. It's really good to see in the article that they are making things with them. Like sdpmd said, the issue is how quickly they can spoil. You can only eat so many fresh pawpaws in a four or five day period and I don't care for cooking with them as they get a weird taste when exposed to heat that I don't like. I still have a gallon of frozen pulp in the freezer, maybe I will have to try ice cream or gelato like in the article. :) As far as my two cents on the sun exposure, young ones can have trouble being in full sun but if you can get them established they will grow fine in full sun. We have some pawpaws here on my university's campus, in full sun, and they are growing fine. In fact, I didn't even recognize the trees at first because they were so big and filled out. They grow very vigorously being in full sun. If anyone has room and a little patience, I would encourage them to grow this fruit, it tastes wonderful. __________________ Nathan S. Near St.louis, MO. 6a

Ampersand

Registered:1389979527
Posts: 728

Posted 1422444530	Reply with quote #12

I've read spreading cottonseed meal at the base of trees during bloom attracts flies as well. It works as a fertilizer as well.

timclymer

Registered:1300323432
Posts: 305

Posted 1422448359	Reply with quote #13

Nice idea Kelby, I'll have to remember that. I've got about 10 grafted varieties in ground and am hoping to get my first fruits this year. Went to a tasting last year and the cultivated ones were delicious (wild ones are good too). We're looking to put in about a half acre of them at the new place, so I'm hoping to develop a local market for them. No one really knows what they are (including me until a few years ago), so it's neat to re-introduce them to a native fruit. __________________ http://threefoldfarm.org - Fig trees and farm updates https://www.facebook.com/ThreefoldFarm South Central PA (6b,7a) Want List: Ital 258, any figs found growing in PA, NJ, or NY

Ampersand

Registered:1389979527
Posts: 728

Posted 1422448569	Reply with quote #14

Tim, I read Neal Peterson sold his pawpaw's at DC markets for $5-$8/lb in the early 2000's when he did fresh market. Granted, DC is going to have higher end customers, but I'll bet you can do well in more affluent parts of central PA.

Bass

Registered:1188959030
Posts: 2,428

Posted 1422483709	Reply with quote #15

Thanks for sharing this, I love pawpaw and it's gaining popularity every year world wide. Most of our fruit varieties come from other countries, but pawpaw is an All American fruit. Neal Peterson is doing a campaign raising funds to have his varieties released in Japan and in Europe. I have one selected variety from a seedling I had that fruited last year, it was much earlier than other varieties. It has Yellow custard flesh and very sweet, no aftertaste. I will have a few grafted trees to offer by spring/summer. __________________ Pennsylvania http://www.treesofjoy.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trees-of-Joy/110193909021138

ADelmanto

Registered:1359774201
Posts: 911

Posted 1422496431	Reply with quote #16

I've never had one. If anyone could overnight one to me next fall I'd be willing to trade a fig for it. PM me if you would be interested. __________________ https://www.facebook.com/From-The-Ground-Up-403313193085649/

jkuo

Registered:1399944767
Posts: 156

Posted 1422497838	Reply with quote #17

I've also never had a paw paw, but I decided to plant a few anyway and just trust that they will be decent tasting. I figured the worst case scenario is I could give away the fruit to my friends who I know already like paw paws. I'm hoping I have some fly pollinators already around, as I don't relish the thought of hanging rotting meat on my trees, which are currently planted as a hedge between us and our next door neighbor. I may have to try the cottonseed meal suggestion. @ADelmannto, if you just want to taste the fruit, you can get frozen paw paw at http://www.integrationacres.com . They also ship fresh ones when they are in season. __________________ Johnny - Lancaster, PA, Zone 6b Plants I'm growing: Google Doc

bigbadbill

Registered:1357527109
Posts: 376

Posted 1422500078	Reply with quote #18

Johnny, You can get a sneak peak at the flavor this fall. We are lucky where we live. There are wild paw paws all along the conestoga and Susquehanna. We'll have to take a trip this fall and I'll show you. __________________ SE Pa, zone 6b https://www.facebook.com/offthebeatenpathnurseries

schaplin

Registered:1392175246
Posts: 662

Posted 1422503145	Reply with quote #19

I have friends that have lived in North Carolina and they say there are wild Pawpaw all over this area. They have given me a few locations to go hunting in. I plan on putting a few along the stream in the back yard. __________________ Wish List: @Hmari, @Maltese beauty, @Col de Dame Grise, @Bryant Dark, @Lynhurst White, @Melcedonia Dark, @Panevino Dark, @Paradiso

drphil69

Registered:1390113240
Posts: 803

Posted 1422503824	Reply with quote #20

I've never tried them either but ordered 2 or 3 named varieties (I honestly don't remember how many...) for Spring delivery. Something different and truly American! __________________ Phil - Zone 7A - Newark, DE Newbie fig lover just trying to learn.

indestructible87

Registered:1368407095
Posts: 548

Posted 1423707594 · Edited	Reply with quote #21

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1750376414/peterson-pawpaws-go-global Bass mentioned neal peterson doing a campaign to raise funds, heres a link if anyones interested. They also have rewards for donations, shirts, pawpaw plants and seeds. Personally im eyeing up this pawpaw mug... __________________ Travis Pittsburgh, PA

DesertDance

Registered:1247674606
Posts: 4,518

Posted 1423711310	Reply with quote #22

Don't think they grow here. Never seen one in this town, and if I did, wouldn't recognize. BUT, people here don't have fig trees either. What they do have are muscle cars they make themselves, Cowboy hats, Jeans, Boots, and the ever present cigarette hanging out their mouths........... __________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!

schaplin

Registered:1392175246
Posts: 662

Posted 1423713435	Reply with quote #23

I'm not sure they could take the dry. Here in North Carolina the best way to find wild ones is to walk along a stream bank. __________________ Wish List: @Hmari, @Maltese beauty, @Col de Dame Grise, @Bryant Dark, @Lynhurst White, @Melcedonia Dark, @Panevino Dark, @Paradiso

So_Cal_Mike

Registered:1351472531
Posts: 43

Posted 1423721435	Reply with quote #24

There are three small pawpaw trees at the Fullerton arboretum here in Southern California, so it is possible to gro them in SoCal. __________________ Sunset Zone: 21 • USDA Zone: 10a __________ Wish List: Lattarula

greenfig

Registered:1359790036
Posts: 3,182

Posted 1423722907	Reply with quote #25

Nice! If they grow at the Fullerton, they might in the Huntington Gardens too. The climate is more mild here I think. I will ask the staff the next time I am there. __________________ wish list: Violeta, Calderona. USDA z 10a, SoCal

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