The pawpaw, Asimina triloba, is North America’s largest and only tropical-flavored indigenous fruit. It is an amazing fruit that is related to tropical and subtropical fruits such as cherimoya and custard apple, yet it thrives in the north. It is delicious and has a complex range of flavors depending on its variety and ripeness; notes of mango, banana, pineapple, cantaloupe, kiwi, strawberry, citrus, vanilla, and even caramel have been detected. The pawpaw has a long history in North America where Native Americans are recognized as cultivating it and expanding its growing range. The earliest documented mention of it is in the 1541 report of the Spanish Hernando de Soto expedition, which noted Native Americans cultivating it east of the Mississippi River. De Soto’s men and later settlers learned to eat and preserve the fruit, thanks to the indigenous people for whom it was an important food. The Lewis and Clark Expedition consumed pawpaws during their travels, and it was known and loved by forefathers such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Knowledge of pawpaws was more common when Americans were more connected with their food sources and harvesting food/fruit from the woods was routine. As we’ve increasingly grown removed from these sources and from nature, we’re losing this knowledge.

Efforts to cultivate the pawpaw are important because the destruction of its natural habitat due to urban development and farmland expansion is ever-increasing. Conservation of this native tree should be prioritized since it is part of North America’s heritage. Amazingly, its native range covers 26 states, from Maine to northern Florida and west to Nebraska. This website intends to help the average pawpaw novice or enthusiast to grow their own pawpaw trees from seed.