pawpaw trees

[L3650]

I would like to plant some of these on some land in eastern Wisconsin, zone 5. Most of the nursery stock comes from more southern latitudes like Kentucky or Missouri. Anyone know where I could get root stock or seeds from more northern zones?

 

[DocHeb]

Miller Nurseries is based in upstate New York and sells Paw-Paw Trees.

 

[MossRoad]

Pawpaws... The Indiana Bananna! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I tried to plant them, but the monkeys(deer) ate them first, then they went for the fruit trees. I wish you luck.

Henry Field's sells them.
Click here for a link to their Pawpaws.

 

[Chuck52]

I figure once my fruit trees get a bit of growth on them, they'll be able to stand some grazing by the deer. In the meantime, I protect them with a 5' circle of 5' welded wire fencing. A 100' roll is about $68 at Lowes and will make about six circles. If you're gonna spend $30 on a tree, might as well spend another $10 to keep Bambi at bay.

Anybody know if paw-paw trees are yummy to deer? They might be one of those rare plants that deer don't much care for. If so, I might plant some myself. Apparently there are a number of varieties of paw-paws, with different fruit characteristics.

Chuck

 

[SPIKER]

Chuck:

I too looked into the paw paws: they need shade and water (stream preferably) which has year round flow and planted so roots can get to the water... that being said they also like shade as in under high canopy but where it is not so thick as to block out sun. they grow along edges as well, similar to where a dog wood may be found. as for deer? I do not know I wasn't thinking that far in advantce but I DO have a deer problem on my place as my poor white pine saplings can attest too.

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[L3650]

<font color="red"> Anybody know if paw-paw trees are yummy to deer? </font>

I just read an article in American Hunter magazine titled "Backyard Buffet: A Natural Whitetail Forage Guide." It is a wildlife biologist's top ten list of natural deer foods.
10. White Oak Acorns
9. Wild Cherries
8. Persimmons
7. Pawpaws
6. Blackberries
5. Wild Grapes
4. Mushrooms
3. Japanese Honeysuckle
2. Kudzu
1. Abandoned Orchards (pears, apples, plums, etc.)

I have some fallow land I am slowly planting with a wide range of trees. The pawpaw sounds exotic, fun to disperse through the place.

 

[SPIKER]

OH YA I forgot to mention that I've read that they are very tasty fruit and can be made into some good stuff but I do not think I've ever ate any. they do not keep well nore do they can or freeze/store at all. they are very similar in texture and taste to a bananna from what I've read. Not sure if DRYING them works or not but I do know that there has been some talk of them comming back into fassion as a pallatable speciality type resturant type dish. My sister-n-law ordered a bunch of them wanting to plant them on my place but when they came in they were pretty much dead. her not bringing them down & planting them finished em off for sure.


MarkM /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[sassafraspete]

Indiana Banana is correct. My folks had them growing in the yard . The leaf is very large....probably one of the largest leaf of any tree growing in our woods around here. As I remember, the largest trees on our place may have been about 3 inches in diameter and 15 ft or so tall. The unripe paw paws as I remember were green and sometimes hard to spot...as they blended in with the leaves so well. When ripe , they would turn sort of a purple color and would drop. I can still conjure up a memory on the smell....a sweet smell...of the ripe paw paw. I say give them a go......and experiment. Any time you plant something...it is a worthwhile adventure.

sassafraspete

 

[MODiesel]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I too looked into the paw paws: they need shade and water (stream preferably) which has year round flow and planted so roots can get to the water... that being said they also like shade as in under high canopy but where it is not so thick as to block out sun. they grow along edges as well, similar to where a dog wood may be found.)</font>
You've described exactly how the grow along one creek on our property. We only realized late, last summer that we had some pawpaws there. My wife is chomping at the bit to try some this year. Apparently, a chilled pawpaw was George Washington's favorite desert.

In any event, be careful with them as the leaves can cause a rash, and the seeds are toxic.

Later,
Jay

 

[SPIKER]

DJay is right I read that about the seeds being bad for ya and the leaves can cause a poisen ivy like rash on a good many people but seems to be a some get it some don't type thing more so than PI where pretty much most every one gets it in some fassion. good for pointing that out DJ
MarkM