Pawpaw  (Asimina triloba)
 
Pawpaw is North America’s largest native fruit, treasured for its tropical-tasting fruit and important ecological value. Native to the eastern United States, this small understory tree produces creamy, custard-like fruit with flavors often compared to banana, mango, and vanilla.
 
Despite its exotic taste, pawpaw is fully cold-hardy, resilient, and perfectly adapted to North American landscapes. It has been grown and enjoyed for centuries by Indigenous peoples and early settlers and is now experiencing a well-deserved revival.
 
Why grow pawpaw
Native North American fruit tree
Produces unique, sweet, tropical-flavored fruit
Excellent for woodland gardens and food forests
Supports native wildlife and pollinators
Naturally pest-resistant with few disease issues
 
Growing information
Plant type: Deciduous tree
Native range: Eastern United States
Height: 15–30 feet
Light: Part shade to full sun (shade when young is ideal)
Soil: Moist, rich, well-drained
Water: Moderate
Zones: 5–9
Young trees benefit from protection from strong sun and wind. Pawpaw trees often grow best in pairs or groups for pollination.
 
Cold stratification:
Duration: 90–120 days
Temperature: 34–40°F (refrigerator temperatures or natural stratification outdoors)
Seeds should be kept moist, not wet, during stratification
After stratification:
Sow seeds about 1 inch deep
Keep soil consistently moist
Germination can be slow and irregular
Seedlings develop a deep taproot early — use deep containers
Do not allow seeds to dry out, as pawpaw seeds lose viability if dried.
 
Fruit & pollination notes
Fruits ripen in late summer to early fall
Flowers are pollinated primarily by flies and beetles
Cross-pollination improves fruit set and size
 
Ecological value
Pawpaw is a keystone native species and the sole larval host for the zebra swallowtail butterfly. It integrates beautifully into native plantings, permaculture systems, and forest-edge gardens.

Pawpaw is a long-lived tree  with rare, homegrown fruit you won’t find in stores. A meaningful addition to native landscapes, food forests, and restoration-minded gardens.
 
This is for 5 seeds