From Proceedings of the Second National Symposium NEW CROPS: Exploration, Research, Commercialization
by Brett M. Callaway
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba): A "Tropical" Fruit for Temperate Climates
1. Distribution
2. Horticulture
1. Culture
2. Seed Propagation
3. Vegetative Propagation
4. Fruit Description, Composition, and Processing
5. Cultivars
6. Pests
7. Research Needs
3. References
4. Table 1
5. Table 2
6. Table 3
7. Fig. 1
8. Fig. 2
The pawpaw [Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal] is the largest fruit native to the United States (Darrow 1975). The genus Asimina
is the only temperate climate representative of the tropical family
Annonaceae. This family is famous for a number of fine fruit, including
cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.), sugar apple (Annona squamosa L.), atemoya (Annona squamosa x A. cherimola), soursop (Annona muricata L.), custard apple (Annona reticulata L.), ilama (Annona diversifolia Safford), soncoya (Annona purpurea Moc. & Sesse), and biriba (Rollinia mucosa Baill.) (Morton, 1987). Of the nine species of Asimina found in the United States, A. triloba
has the greatest potential for commercial fruit production. Other
species are lacking in quality, size, hardiness, or other important
characteristics. In addition to its promising potential for fruit
production, certain parts of A. triloba
plants contain asimicin, a compound with active pesticidal and
neoplastic properties (Rupprecht et al. 1986, 1990; Ratnayake et al.
1993).
DISTRIBUTION
Fourteen species in the Annonaceae are native to the United States. These include nine species of Asimina, two species of Deeringothamnus, and three species of Annona. All Asimina species, excepting A. parviflora (Michx.) Dunal and A. triloba, are restricted to Florida and extreme southern portions of Georgia and Alabama (Callaway 1990). Asimina parviflora is distributed throughout the southeastern United States (Callaway 1990), while A. triloba is distributed over most of the eastern United States (Fig. 1) and even into extreme southern Canada. Deeringothamnus rugelii (B.L. Robbins) Small and D. pulchellus Small are rare plants native only to Florida (Kral 1983). The Annonas, A. glabra L., A. palustris L., and A. squamosa
L., are found only in extreme southern Florida (Small 1913; Wunderlin
1982). I am aware of fruiting plantings of pawpaws on four continents
(North America, Asia, Australia, and Europe).
HORTICULTURE
Culture
Since
no scientific work has been done on cultural requirements of pawpaws,
the following discussion on culture is based largely on my personal
observations. I prefer planting seed into Rootrainer book containers
(see propagation section below) then transplanting 10 to 20 cm
seedlings into tall pots. Plants are left in the tall pots until they
reach 0.5 to 1.0 m in height before transplanting. Seedlings should be
started in pots for several reasons. First, pawpaw seedlings are
reported to be sensitive to ultraviolet light (Peterson 1991). However,
following a season of growth in partial shade, they no longer seem to
be affected by direct sunlight. Rather, they grow and produce better in
full sun (Wilson and Schemske 1980). Pots may be conveniently grouped
under shadecloth for a season before transplanting to permanent field
locations. Second, pawpaws have a reputation of being difficult to
transplant and this difficulty increases with plant size. Yet, small
plants are more difficult to maintain under field conditions. There is
a tradeoff between transplanting success and maintenance of plants in
the field. Plants grown in containers to approximately 1 m in height
before transplanting largely circumvent these problems.
Finally,
plants may reach bearing size sooner when grown in containers before
transplanting to the field, since optimal growing conditions are often
more easily provided to container-grown plants.
Plants appear to
need a "rest" period. Seedlings germinated in the greenhouse in
December ceased growth in February and did not resume growth until
June, even though suitable growing conditions were maintained during
the entire period.
Pawpaws appear to benefit from mulching
with leaves, compost, or other material high in organic matter. Since
their native habitat is river floodplains, they may be somewhat more
sensitive to low soil moisture than other fruit trees. Pawpaws seem to
be sensitive to low humidities and dry winds.
Seed Propagation
Seed
should be removed from the fruit, cleaned, and placed in a polyethylene
bag with damp sphagnum moss and should not be allowed to dry out. Seed
should be stratified at 2° to 4°C for 60 to 100 days before
planting (Thomson 1982; USDA 1948). Seed should be planted about 2.5 cm
deep. The depth of Rootrainer books, commonly used in the propagation
of forest trees, is especially desirable because of pawpaw's long
taproot. Once seedlings reach a height of 10 to 20 cm they can be
transplanted into tall pots (10 x 10 x 36 cm) with partially open
bottoms and placed on greenhouse benches. Taproots growing out the
bottom of these pots are "air-pruned."
The rate and percentage of seed germination is stimulated by bottom heat (27°C) (Fig. 2)
with most seedlings emerging between 45 and 90 days after planting.
Acid scarification reduced percent germination. Evert and Payne (1991)
reported increased percent germination with increased shading.
Vegetative Propagation
The
most reliable and commonly used method of vegetative propagation is
chip-budding. Root cuttings have been used successfully (USDA 1948),
but softwood propagation methods (those using cuttings from soft,
succulent, new growth) have not been satisfactorily developed. I was
able to generate shoots in vitro from leaf explants using a modified a
medium developed for tissue culture of Annona spp. (Nair et al.
1984a,b).
Fruit Description, Composition, and Processing
Fruit are produced in clusters and are oblong to banana-shaped, providing insight into the origin of one of A. triloba's
early names, "Indiana banana." Fruit size ranges from quite small (20
g) to over 450 g. Skin is typically smooth and thin, ranging in color
from green to bright yellow at maturity and turning brown or black
after a frost. The fruit may be eaten when it becomes soft although
some prefer to wait until after the skin has darkened. Flesh is
custard-like in texture with flavor resembling cherimoya (Annona cherimola) or soursop (Annona muricata).
Flesh color is typically orange but infrequently may be white (Callaway
1991). Large fruit usually have 10 to 15 large black seeds.
Peterson et al. (1982) evaluated the composition of pawpaw fruit (Table 1)
and concluded that the fruit have a high nutritional quality compared
to temperate fruits such as apple, peach, and grape. All commercially
important fruit in the Annonaceae have relatively short shelf-lives. As
Annonas are used in juices, ice cream, and other processed products
similar processing may also be applicable to pawpaws.
Cultivars
A
list of past and present cultivars has been compiled by Callaway (1990)
and Peterson (1991). Many early cultivars have been lost over the years
as the owners of nurseries and collections pass away. To date, there
have been a total of 68 cultivars developed (Table 2). Only about 19 are commercially available (Table 3).
Most are available in limited quantities from only one or two
nurseries. The information available on these cultivars is based on the
personal observations of very few persons; replicated yield tests have
not been carried out. 'Overleese' and 'Sunflower' are probably the most
widely grown cultivars and are generally considered to be among the
highest quality. Relatively few nurseries sell pawpaw, although those
who do, find it difficult to supply the demand.
Pests
Flyspeck (Zygophiala jamaicensis Mason) has been reported on fruit in Japan (Nasu and Kunoh 1987). A leaf spot caused by a complex of pathogens [Mycocentrospora asiminae (Ellis & Kellerm.) Deighton, Rhopaloconidium asiminae
(Ellis & Morg.) Petr., and Phyllosticta asiminae Ellis &
Kellerm.] has also been reported (Peterson 1991). None of these
diseases caused significant damage to the fruit. Three lepidopterans
have been reported to damage Asimina spp. Eurytides marcellus Cramer and Omphalocera munroei Martin feed on the leaves (Damman 1986). Talponia plummeriana
Busck bores into the peduncle of flowers, causing serious loss of
flowers in some years (Allard 1955). Fruit may also be eaten by
wildlife including birds, foxes, opossums, squirrels, and raccoons.
Research Needs
Collection
and testing of germplasm are needed. Since only 19 cultivars are
available, wild germplasm remains an important source of genetic
material for cultivar development and improvement. Superior selections
from the wild should continue to be propagated and sold by nurserymen
for home and commercial plantings. There is a great need for testing
superior genotypes (wild selections, breeding lines, and cultivars)
throughout the potential growing region to provide sound
recommendations for growers.
Basic information is needed on
the inheritance of commercially important traits, such as flowering
behavior, fruit size, productivity, and maturity. This information is
critical for the development of efficient, effective genetic
improvement programs.
Basic horticultural information on such
cultural practices as irrigation, fertilization, and pest control
practices is also lacking. Information on pollination biology is
needed. Wilson and Schemske (1980) demonstrated that fruit production
on wild trees was limited by inadequate pollination. Only 0.41% of
flowers set fruit on naturally pollinated plants in the wild, while as
many as 17% of hand-pollinated flowers set fruit. A better
understanding of the agents and mechanisms responsible for pawpaw
pollination is needed to ensure reliable fruit set.
References
•Allard, H.A. 1955. The native pawpaw. Atlantic Naturalist 10:197-203.
•Anonymous. 1917. The best papaws. J. Hered. 8:21-33.
•Bartholemew, E.A. 1962. Possibilities of the papaw. Northern Nut Growers Assoc. Annu. Rpt. 53:71-74.
•Billington, C. 1949. Shrubs of Michigan. 2nd ed. Cranbrook Institute of Science. Bul. No. 20.
•Bowden, W.M. and B. Miller. 1951. Distribution of the pawpaw, Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal, in Southern Ontario. Can. Field-Naturalist 65:27-31.
•Braun, E.L. 1961. The woody plants of Ohio. Ohio State Univ. Press, Columbus, OH. p. 148-149.
•Brooks, R.M. and M.P. Olmo. 1972. Register of new fruit and nut varieties. 2nd ed. Univ. of California Press, Berkeley.
•California
Rare Fruit Growers. 1982. Fruit registration listing. California Rare
Fruit Growers 1982 Yearb. California Rare Fruit Growers, The Fullerton
Arboretum, California State Univ., Fullerton.
•Callaway, M.B. 1990. The pawpaw (Asimina triloba). Kentucky State Univ. Pub. CRS-HORT1-901T.
•Callaway, M.B. 1991. Germplasm collection using public contests--The Asimina triloba example. HortScience 26:722.
•Clark, R.C. 1971. The woody plants of Alabama. Ann. Missouri Botanical Garden 58:99-242.
•Damman, A.J. 1986. Facultative interactions between two lepidopteran herbivores of Asimina. Oecologia 78:214-219.
•Darrow,
G.M. 1975. Minor temperate fruits, p. 276-277. In: J. Janick and J.N.
Moore (eds.). Advances in fruit breeding. Purdue Univ. Press, West
Lafayette, IN.
•Davis, C. 1969. Hunting for better paw paws. Northern Nut Growers Assoc. Annu. Rpt. 60:107-108.
•Davis, C. 1979. Update on pawpaws. Northern Nut Growers Assoc. Annu. Rpt. 70:82-84.
•Davis, C. 1982. The paw paw in southern Michigan. In: California Rare Fruit Growers 1982 Yearb. Fullerton. p. 38-41.
•Davis, C. 1983. Pawpaw: The forgotten fruit. (revised 11-15-83). Mimeo. 20865 Junction Road, Bellevue, MI.
•Deam, C.C. 1940. Flora of Indiana. Dept. of Conservation, Div. of Forestry, Indianapolis, IN. p. 478-479.
•Evert, D.R. and J.A. Payne. 1991. Germination of Asimina triloba and A. parviflora. HortScience 26:777.
•Glaser, R. 1982. The pawpaw in Indiana, p. 36. In: California rare fruit growers 1982 yearb. Fullerton.
•Harvill,
A.M., C.E. Stevens, and D.M.E. Ware. 1977. Atlas of the Virginia flora,
Part 1. Virginia Botanical Associates, Farmville.
•Hough, M.Y. 1983. New Jersey wild plants. Harmony Press, Harmony, NJ.
•Johnson, G.P. and K.A. Nicely. 1990. The Magnoliales of Kentucky. Trans. Kentucky Acad. Sci. 51:14-17.
•Jones,
S.B. and N.C. Coile. 1988. The distribution of the vascular flora of
Georgia. Dept. Botany, Univ. of Georgia, Athens.
•Kral, R.
1983. A report on some rare, threatened, or endangered forest-related
vascular plants of the south. USDA Forest Service Southern Region,
Tech. Pub. R8-TP-2. p. 448-457.
•Kral, R. 1960. A revision of Asimina and Deeringothamnus (Annonaceae). Brittonia 12:233-278.
•Kurle, R. 1982. The paw paw in Illinois, p. 32-35. In: California rare fruit growers 1982 yearb. Fullerton.
•Little,
E.L. 1981. Forest trees of Oklahoma, p. 111. Oklahoma Forestry Div.,
State Dept. Agr. Pub. 1, (Revised ed. 12), Oklahoma City.
•Little, J.A. 1905. A treatise on the Pawpaw. Orville G. Swindler, Clayton, IN.
•Mansell, T. 1986. The advantages of self-rooted pawpaws. Pomona 19:62-63.
•Mohlenbrock,
R.H. 1981. The illustrated flora of Illinois: flowering plants,
magnolias to pitcher plants. So. Illinois Univ. Press, Carbondale. p.
11-13.
•Morton, J.F. 1987. Fruits of warm climates. Published by author.
•Nair, S., P.K. Gupta, and A.F. Mascarenhas. 1984a. In vitro propagation of Annona hybrid (Annona squamosa L. x Annona cherimola L.). Indian J. Hort. 41:160-165.
•Nair, S., P.K. Gupta, M.V. Shirgurkar, and A.F. Mascarenhas. 1984b. In vitro organogenesis from leaf explants of Annona squamosa Linn. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Culture 3:29-40.
•Nasu,
H. and H. Kunoh. 1987. Scanning electron microscopy of flyspeck of
apple, pear, Japanese persimmon, plum, Chinese quince, and pawpaw.
Plant Dis. 71:361-364.
•Pammel, L.H. and C.M. King. 1930. Honey
plants of Iowa. Iowa Geological Survey, Bul. 7, Iowa Geological Survey,
Des Moines. p. 185-186.
•Pape, E. 1965. The pawpaw. Northern Nut Growers Assoc. Annu. Rpt. 56:103-106.
•Peterson, N.F. 1912. Flora of Nebraska. Published by author.
•Peterson, R.N. 1991. Pawpaw (Asimina),
p. 567-600. In: J.N. Moore and J.R. Ballington (eds.). Genetic
resources of temperate fruit and nut crops. Intl. Soc. Hort. Sci.,
Wageningen.
•Peterson, R.N., J.P. Cherry, and J.G. Simmons. 1982. Composition of pawpaw (Asimina triloba) fruit. Northern Nut Growers Assoc. Annu. Rpt. 73:97-107.
•Radford,
A.E., H.F. Ahles, and C.R. Bell. 1968. Manual of the vascular flora of
the Carolinas, p. 475-477. Univ. North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill.
•Ratnayake, S., J.K. Rupprecht, W.M. Potter, and J.L. McLaughlin. 1993. Evaluation of various parts of the paw paw tree, Asimina triloba
(Annonaceae), as commercial sources of the pesticidal annonaceous
acetogenins. In: J. Janick and J.E. Simon (eds.). Progress in new
crops. Wiley, New York.
•Rupprecht, J.K., C.-J. Chang, J.M.
Cassady, and J.L. McLaughlin. 1986. Asimicin, a new cytotoxic and
pesticidal acetogenin from the pawpaw, Asimina triloba (Annonaceae). Heterocycles 24:1197-1201.
•Rupprecht, J.K., Y.-H. Hui, and J.L. McLaughlin. 1990. Annonaceous acetogenins: A review. J. Nat. Prod. 53:237-278.
•Simpson, B.J. 1988. A field guide of Texas trees. Texas Monthly Press, Austin.
•Small, J.K. 1913. Flora of the Florida keys. Published by author.
•Smith, E.B. 1978. An annotated list of the vascular plants of Arkansas, p. 9-10. Published by author.
•Steyermark, J.A. 1963. Flora of Missouri. The Iowa State University Press, Ames. p. 671-674.
•The
Great Plains Flora Association. 1977. Atlas of the flora of the great
plains, p. 14. The Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA.
•Thomson,
P.H. 1982. The paw paw, p. 5-31. In: California rare fruit growers,
1982 yearb. California Rare Fruit Growers, Fullerton.
•USDA. 1948. Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal, pawpaw, p. 92. In: woody-plant seed manual. USDA, Washington, DC. Misc. Publ. 654.
•Vines,
R.A. 1960. Custard-apple family (Annonaceae). p. 289-291. In: Trees,
shrubs, and woody vines of the southwest. University of Texas Press.
•Wilson, M.F. and D.W. Schemske. 1980. Pollinator limitation, fruit production, and floral display in pawpaw (Asimina triloba). Bul. Torrey Bot. Club 107:401-408.
•Wunderlin, R.P. 1982. Guide to the vascular plants of Central Florida. Univ. Presses of Florida, Tampa. p. 188-189.
•Zimmerman, G.A. 1938. The papaw. Northern Nut Growers Assoc. Annu. Rpt. 29:99-102.
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*
I acknowledge the helpful comments of Neal Peterson and Joe Hickman.
Financial support during manuscript preparation was provided by
USDA/CSRS Agreement No. KYX-10-91-17P to Kentucky State University.
Table 1. Composition of raw, unpeeled pawpaw fruit based on the edible portion (Peterson et al. 1982; Peterson 1991, and pers. commun).
| Constituent |
Range |
| Proximates (g/100 g) |
| Ash |
0.6-0.7 |
| Carbohydrate |
16.8-22.4 |
| Fat |
0.6-1.4 |
| Fiber |
1.4-3.5 |
| Food energy (Kcal/100 g) |
77-89 |
| Protein |
0.8-1.4 |
| Water |
69.5-77.0 |
| Vitamins (mg/100 g) |
| A (IU/100 g) |
66-1.5 |
| C |
7.6-20.9 |
| Niacin |
1.1-1.2 |
| Riboflavin |
0.09-0.09 |
| Thiamin |
0.01-0.01 |
| Minerals (mg/100 g) |
| Calcium |
53-76 |
| Copper |
0.4-0.6 |
| Iron |
6.8-7.2 |
| Magnesium |
109-120 |
| Manganese |
2.5-2.6 |
| Phosphorus |
43-53 |
| Potassium |
314-368 |
| Sulfur |
62-78 |
| Zinc |
0.9-0.9 |
| Fatty Acids (% of total) |
| Linoleic |
8.1-9.0 |
| Linolenic |
16.9-24.4 |
| Oleic |
23.3-38.0 |
| Palmitic |
18.6-24.4 |
| Palmitoleic |
5.8-10.2 |
| Sugars (g/100 g) |
| Fructose |
1.3-2.8 |
| Glucose |
1.8-4.0 |
| Sucrose |
6.0-13.3 |
| Essential Amino Acids (g/100 g of protein) |
| Arginine |
3.00-3.83 |
| Histidine |
1.55-2.19 |
| Isoleucine |
4.7-6.8 |
| Leucine |
5.8-8.2 |
| Lysine |
4.2-6.3 |
| Methionine |
0.9-1.4 |
| Phenylalanine |
3.7-4.9 |
| Threonine |
3.2-4.6 |
| Tryptophan |
0.4-0.9 |
| Valine |
4.2-6.0 |
Table 2. Descriptions of pawpaw cultivars.
| Name |
Description |
Place of origin |
Pedigree |
Reference |
| Arkansas Beauty |
|
AR |
Selected from wild |
Anon. 1917; Pape 1965 |
| Betty Wirt |
Fruit weighs up to 454 g, but averages 160 g |
Wirt County, WV |
Selected from wild |
Bartholomew 1962; Pape 1965 |
| Buckman |
White flesh color, mild flavor; late to very late maturity |
|
Selected by B. Buckman |
Zimmerman 1938; Zimmerman 1941 |
| Cheatwood |
|
Gallia, OH |
Selected from wild by J. Cheatwood |
Anon. 1917 |
| Cheely |
|
Iuka, IL |
Selected from wild by J. Cheely |
Anon. 1917 |
| Cox's Favorite |
|
|
Selected from wild |
Anon. 1917 |
| Davis* |
Fruit 115 g, up to 12 cm long; yellow-fleshed; ripens 1st week of
October in MI; green skin; seed large; keeps well in cold storage |
Bellevue, MI |
Selected from wild by Corwin Davis around 1959 |
Brooks and Olmo 1972; Davis 1982; L. Davis pers.
commun. |
| Dr. Potter |
Small fruit size; mild flavor; ships fairly well; late maturity;
rich yellow flesh |
Julietta, IN |
Selected from wild by B.S. Potter |
Anon. 1917 |
| Duck |
|
|
|
Vines 1960 |
| Early Best |
|
IN |
Selected from wild by W.C. Stout |
Anon. 1917 |
| Early Cluster |
|
|
Selected from wild |
Anon. 1917 |
| Early Gold |
|
|
Selected from wild |
Zimmerman 1938 |
| Endicott |
|
Villa Ridge, IL |
Selected from wild by G. Endicott |
Anon. 1917 |
| Fairchild |
Early maturity |
|
Selected by David Fairchild from 'Ketter' seed |
Zimmerman 1938; Zimmerman 1941 |
| Ford Amend* |
Slightly smaller and earlier than 'Sunflower'; matures late Sept.
in OR; flesh orange; skin greenish-yellow |
Portland, OR |
Selected by Ford Amend around 1950 from a seedling of unknown
parentage |
M. Dolan pers. commun. |
| G-2 |
|
|
Zimmerman seed |
Peterson 1991 |
| Gable |
Late to very late maturity |
PA |
Selected from wild by J. Gable |
Zimmerman 1938; Zimmerman 1941 |
| Glaser |
|
Evansville, IN |
Selected by P. Glaser |
Thomson 1982 |
| Hann |
|
AR |
Selected from wild |
Anon. 1917 |
| Hengst |
|
|
Selected from wild |
Peterson 1991 |
| Holtwood |
|
|
Selected from wild by W. Hoopes |
Vines 1960 |
| Hope's August |
Early maturity |
Paint, OH |
Selected from wild by A. Hope |
Anon. 1917; Zimmerman 1941 |
| Hope's September |
|
Paint, OH |
Selected from wild by A. Hope |
Anon. 1917 |
| Jumbo |
Late to very late maturity |
|
|
Zimmerman 1941 |
| Kercheval |
|
|
|
Pape 1965 |
| Ketter |
Matures evenly; skin comparatively thick & tough; does not
discolor markedly; flesh medium yellow; mild but rich flavor, neither insipid
nor cloying; large yellow fruit; early maturity |
Ironton, OH |
Selected by Mrs. F. Ketter |
Anon. 1917; Zimmerman 1941 |
| Kirsten* |
|
Aliquippa, PA |
Tom Mansell seedling 'Taytoo' x 'Overleese' |
J.S. Akin pers. commun. |
| Kurle |
Small-medium in size; yellow flesh and skin |
MI |
Seedling by R. Kurle from 'Davis' |
Kurle 1982 |
| Lawvere |
|
|
|
Pape 1965 |
| Little Rosie |
Small fruit size |
Evansville, IN |
Selected by R. Glaser |
Glaser 1982 |
| Long John |
|
|
Selected by B. Buckman |
Zimmerman 1938 |
| M-1 |
|
|
Selected by J. McKay from 'G-2' seedling |
Peterson 1991 |
| Mango* |
|
Tifton, GA |
Selected by Major Collins |
J. Gordon pers. commun.; Peterson 1991 |
| Martin |
Large fruit size (Zimmerman says small size); flesh yellow &
of superior quality (Zimmerman says skin tough); withstands cold well |
Springfield, OH |
Selected from wild by S.C. Martin |
Anon. 1917; Zimmerman 1941 |
| Mary Foos Johnson* |
Similar to 'Sunflower'; original located at the North Wilamette
Expt. Sta., Auroe, OR |
|
Seedling given to North Wilamette Expt. Sta. by Ms. Mary Foos
Johnson |
Pape 1965 |
| Mason /WLW* |
|
Mason, OH |
Selected from wild by E.J. Downing |
Peterson 1991 |
| Middletown |
|
Middletown, OH |
Selected from wild by E.J. Downing |
Peterson 1991 |
| Mitchell* |
Fruit medium-size; skin slightly yellow; flesh golden; flavor
"superb" |
Jefferson Co., IL |
Selected from wild by Joe Hickman |
J. Hickman pers. commun. |
| Mudge |
|
|
Selected from wild |
Pape 1965 |
| NC-1* |
Fruit 340 g; few seed; yellow flesh and skin; thin skin; early,
maturing Sept. 15 in Ontario |
Ontario, Canada |
Selected by R.D. Campbell around 1976 from 'Davis' x
'Overleese' |
R.D. Campbell pers. commun.; L. Davis pers. commun. |
| Osborne |
Late to very late maturity |
|
Selected from wild |
Zimmerman 1938; Zimmerman 1941 |
| Oswald |
|
Hagerstown, MD |
Selected from wild by E. Oswald |
Anon. 1917 |
| Overleese* |
Fruit 340 g; bears in clusters of 3 to 5; ripens 1st week of Oct.
in MI |
Rushville, IN |
Selected from wild by W.B. Ward around 1950 |
Davis 1982; Davis 1986; Pape 1965; Peterson 1991 |
| PA-Golden* |
Flesh golden; skin yellow; matures mid-Sept. in Amherst, NY |
Amherst, NY |
Seedling selected by John Gordon around 1982 from seed
originating from George Slate collection. |
J. Gordon pers. commun. |
| Prolific* |
Fruit 200-225 g; yellow flesh; ripens 1st week of Oct. in MI
Bellevue, MI |
Seedling from Corwin Davis orchard |
Davis 1986; L. Davis pers. commun. |
| Propst Early |
|
|
Selected from wild |
Anon. 1917 |
| Rebecca's Gold* |
Fruit kidney-shaped, 85-170 g; flesh yellow |
CA |
Selected by J.M. Riley in 1974 from Corwin Davis seed |
J.S. Akin pers. commun.; California Rare Fruit Growers 1982; M.
Dolan pers. commun.; Peterson 1991 |
| Rees |
Flesh pale yellow and of good flavor; not a large fruit size |
Pleasanton, KS |
Selected from wild by W. Rees |
Anon. 1917 |
| Roach |
|
Dekalb, MO |
Selected from wild by J.C. Roach |
Anon. 1917 |
| SAA-Overleese* |
Fruit 285 g, rounded shape; flesh yellow; skin green; few seed;
matures mid-Oct. in Amherst, NY |
Amherst, NY |
Seedling selected by John Gordon around 1982 from 'Overleese'
seed. |
J. Gordon pers. commun. |
| SAA-Zimmerman* |
Fruit 170-225 g; few seed; yellow flesh and skin |
Amherst, NY |
Seedling selected by John Gordon around 1982 from seed
originating from G.A. Zimmerman collection. |
J. Gordon pers. commun. |
| Schriber |
|
|
Selected from wild |
Zimmerman 1938 |
| Scott |
|
WV |
Selected from wild by C.S. Scott |
Anon. 1917 |
| Shannondale |
Late to very late maturity |
|
|
Zimmerman 1938; Zimmerman 1941 |
| Silver Creek |
Medium sized fruit |
Millstedt, IL or Silver Creek, NY |
|
J. Gordon pers. commun.; Thomson 1982 |
| Sunflower* |
Fruit up to 225 g; butter-color flesh; skin yellowish; few seed;
ripens 1st week of Oct. in MI |
Chanute, KS |
Selected from wild by Milo Gibson around 1970 |
Davis 1979; Davis 1982; Davis 1983b; Davis 1986 |
| Sweet Alice* |
|
Mentor, OH |
Selected by Homer Jacobs of the Holden Arboretum in 1934 |
Peterson 1991; Thomson 1982 |
| Talbot |
Fruit 285 g; flesh yellow; overall quality average |
Linton, IN |
Chance seedling selected about 1950 by John Talbot from Corwin
Davis seed. |
R.D. Campbell pers. commun. |
| Taylor |
Not the same as 'Taylor' described below; flesh light color, mild
flavor; late to very late maturity |
|
Selected from wild |
Zimmerman 1938; Zimmerman 1941 |
| Taylor* |
Small fruit; bears up to 7 fruit in a cluster; yellow flesh,
green skin; ripens 1st week of Oct. in MI |
Eaton Rapids, MI |
Selected from wild by Corwin Davis in 1968 |
Davis 1969; Davis 1982; Davis 1983b; Davis 1986; L. Davis pers.
commun. |
| Taytwo* |
Fruit up to 285 g; begins ripening 10th of Oct. in MI; skin light
green when ripe; flesh yellow; sometimes spelled 'Taytoo' |
Eaton Rapids, MI |
Selected from wild by Corwin Davis in 1968 |
Davis 1969; Davis 1982; Davis 1983b; Davis 1986; L. Davis pers.
commun.; Mansell 1986 |
| Tiedke |
Late to very late maturity |
|
Selected from wild |
Zimmerman 1938; Zimmerman 1941 |
| Uncle Tom |
Probably the first named variety on record; ripens mid-Sept. in
IN; fruit sets singly and in pairs |
Cartersburg, IN |
Selected from wild by J.A. Little around 1896 |
Little 1905 |
| Van Der Bogart |
Very similar to PA-Golden; matures mid-Sept. in Ithaca, NY |
Ithaca, NY |
Selected by Francis Van Der Bogart around 1970 from seed
originating from the G.A. Zimmerman collection. |
J. Gordon pers. commun. |
| Vena |
Possibly the same as 'Talbot' |
Linton, IN? |
|
R.D. Campbell pers. commun. |
| Wells* |
Fruit 340-400 g; skin green; flesh orange |
Salem, IN |
Selected from wild by David Wells in 1990 |
Callaway 1991 |
| Wilson* |
Fruit medium-size; skin yellow; flesh golden |
On Black Mountain in Harlan County KY |
Selected from wild by John Creech |
J. Hickman pers. commun. |
| Zimmerman |
|
|
G.A. Zimmerman seed |
Peterson 1991 |
* These cultivars are commercially available.
Table 3. Suppliers of pawpaw cultivars.
J.S. Akin
Sherwood's Greenhouses
P.O. Box 6
Sibley, LA
71073 |
Phone: (318) 377-3653
Cultivars: Davis, Mango, Overleese,
Rebecca's Gold, Sunflower, Sweet Alice, and Wilson
Send Self-Addressed
Stamped Envelope for price list |
Annie Black
Hidden Springs Nursery
Rt. 14, Box
159
Cookville, TN 38501 |
Phone (931) 268-9889
Cultivars: Sunflower and
Taylor
Catalog $0.40 |
Corwin and Letha Davis
20865 Junction Road
Bellevue, MI
49021 |
Phone (616) 781-7402
Cultivars: Davis, Overleese, Prolific,
Sunflower, Taylor, and Taytwo
Include Self-Addressed Stamped
Envelope. |
Michael Dolan
Burnt Ridge Nursery and Orchards
432 Burnt
Ridge Rd.
Onalaska, WA 98570 |
Phone: (206) 985-2873
Cultivars: Sunflower and Ford
Amend
Send Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope for free catalog |
J.H. Gordon, Jr.
1385 Campbell Blvd.
Amherst, NY
14228-1404 |
Phone (716) 691-9371
Cultivars: PA-Golden, SAA-Overleese, and
SAA-Zimmerman |
Louisiana Nursery
Rt. 7, Box 43
Opelousas, LA 70570 |
Phone: (318) 948-3696
Cultivars: Mitchell, Overleese, and
Wilson.
Catalog $5.00 |
Northwoods Nursery
28696 S. Cramer Rd.
Molalla, OR
97038 |
Phone (503) 651-3737
Cultivars: Mary Foos Johnson, Prolific,
Rebecca's Gold, Sunflower, and Wells |
Oregon Exotics Rare Fruit Nursery
Jerry Black
1065
Messinger Rd.
Grants Pass, OR 97527 |
Phone: (503) 846-7578
Cultivar: W.L.W. Mason |
Robert Seip
Lennilea Farm Nursery
R.D. 1, Box
683
Alburtis, PA 18011 |
Phone (215) 845-2077
Cultivars: Mango, Sunflower, and Sweet
Alice |  Fig. 1. Distribution of Asimina triloba
in the United States. Source: Alabama (Clark 1971); Arkansas (Smith
1978); Florida (Kral 1960); Georgia (Jones and Coile 1988); Illinois
(Mohlenbrock 1981); Indiana (Deam 1940); Iowa (Pammel and King 1930;
The Great Plains Flora Association 1977; Stephens 1969); Kansas (The
Great Plains Flora Association 1977; Stephens, 1969); Kentucky
(Callaway unpublished; Johnson and Nicely, 1990; Kral, 1960); Louisana
(Kral 1960); Maryland (Kral 1960); Michigan (Billington 1949);
Mississippi (Kral 1960); Missouri (Steyermark 1963); Nebraska (Petersen
1912; The Great Plains Flora Association 1977); New Jersey (Hough
1983); New York (Bowden and Miller 1951); North Carolina (Radford et
al. 1968); Ohio (Braun 1961); Oklahoma (Little 1981; The Great Plains
Flora Association 1977); Pennsylvania (Bowden and Miller 1951; Kral,
1960); South Carolina (Radford et al. 1968); Tennessee (Kral 1960);
Texas (Kral 1960; Simpson 1988); Virginia (Harvill et al. 1977); and
West Virginia (Kral 1960).  Fig. 2. Rate of germination over time as influenced by bottom heat (27°C) and acid scarification with 36N sulfuric acid. Last updated: 4/28/119 by aw
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