PAW PAW, Carica papaya

Watch Video ^NEW Also known as the papaya these fast growing trees can commence bearing within 12 months of planting.  Paw paws are often cultivated as garden trees due to their attractive shape, manageable size and large tropical  looking foliage as well as the delicious fruits they produce.  Native to southern Mexico and Central America, paw paws are now commonly found in tropical and sub tropical climates where they are very easy to grow and are highly productive trees for about 5-6 years.  The three types of Paw paw can all be distinguished by their flowers.  If you are growing the male and female paw paws one male will happily fertilize seven females or more, bees are the main pollinator so they will need to be able to fly between trees. 

Fruits take 60-120 days to mature and will need a long warm summer to fully ripen.  In warm climates fruits will ripen all year round and healthy trees can produce 30kg of fruit a season. 

Pawpaw - Southern Red

Bisexual large pinkish-red Paw Paw with very sweet flesh. Very juicy sweet paw paw that produces a large elongated fruit. Performs best in sheltered warm location.

Pawpaw - Hawain Bisexual Yellow

Heavy cropping papaya with small to medium sized sweet fruit. This Papaya selection is a true bisexual, consistently producing uniform bisexual plants. Grown on the Gold Coast from fruit brought back from Guam after 2nd World War by Jim Curren

Papayuelo

Attractive tall branching plant with purple leaves. Bears goose-egg size purple fruits. The flesh inside is eaten like passionfruit. Plants are either male or female.

140mm | $12.90 AU | In Production |

Paw Paw - Sunrise Solo

Sunrise Solo is a pink fleshed bisexual inbreed. It is the most commonly grown papaya worldwide. The fruit is small, pear shaped with a very sweet musk flavour.

125mm | $9.75 AU | In Production |

Pawpaw - Red RD2 Hybrid

This is a very fast growing plant and will start picking 9 months after planting out as seedlings. The fruit is roundish and slightly ribbed, with deep red flesh colour. It is extremely good eating. 2 in each pot to allow for males as RD2 is dioecious. For more info go to: http://www.papayaseed.com.au/redorganicpapayaseed.htm

140mm | $9.90 AU | In Production |

Pawpaw - Cutting Grown Southern Red

A cutting grown Paw Paw is dwarfed in size and the fruit is produced low to the ground. Also suitable for growing in pots. It is possible to have fruit within 4 months rather then taking 18 months from a seedling. (Learn More) Watch Video ^NEW

175mm | $29.00 AU | In Production |

Paw Paw - RB3 Bisexual Red

A bisexual Paw Paw bred by Garry Grant. Has large elongated fruit up to 1kg with red / orange flesh. Ideal back yard Paw Paw fruiting within 18mths. Bisexual paw paws are generally self pollinating, occassional females can be expected that will need pollinating.

125mm | $9.95 AU | Seeking Propagation Material |

Pawpaw - Yellow M/F Local Selection (2 per pot)

Excellent local selection, very sweet, round paw paw. These are more cold hardy than bisexual types.  Two planted per pot to allow for pollination. This increases the chances of acquiring a male and a female plant.

140mm | $9.90 AU | Seeking Propagation Material |

Col de Monte Papaya

It is a "dwarf" papaya, most commonly found in cultivation in Ecuador between 600–1,700m elevation bearing small yellow fruits. There, the people like the fruit so much that they protect and nurture even wild specimens. The smooth, hard-skinned fruit has 5 faint ridges and a orange skin. Taste is highly variable. Some of its fruits are quite sweet with an attractive taste somewhat like apples. Others are astringent and barely edible, even cooked. Some of these small, fragrant fruits are eaten raw—usually mixed with other fruits. Cooked with lemon and sugar they have been likened to stewed apricots. Their firmness makes them suitable for drying and candying, and they freeze well. The young seedlings and mature leaves are cooked as greens (hence the common name "col de monte," which, translated, means "mountain cabbage"). The plant grows vigorously, but reaches only 1–3m in height. It is generally monoecious, commonly having male and female flowers together on the same inflorescence.

140mm | $12.90 AU | Seeking Propagation Material |

Oak Leaved Papaya

Bears small bright orange fruit 50mm long, with a sweet smell and juicy, sweetish pulp. Very cool hardy but does not like wet feet in winter.

140mm | $12.90 AU | Seeking Propagation Material |

Tips on Paw Paw ^BETA

We welcome your Tips on Paw Paw. Share Your Tip.

Paw Paw

Mine is a single red bisexual variety. Grown against an Eastern facing wall, it weathers Winters quite well. Prolific bearer, likes good water and heavy feeding. Lopping produces multi-stems. Green fruit can be eaten as a vegetable. Very sweet when ripe. | David White - Newcastle, NSW 03-Jun-2006

Paw Paw

I believe Pawpaw is a little grown North American tree with fruit somewhat like the Annonas. The kinds you list here seem to be papayas, which are not synonymous with the term pawpaw. However, a real pawpaw can grow in temperate climates also! | Matt Morgan - Dallas, TEXAS 12-May-2008

Paw Paw

It external morphology,it nursery preparation,typs of propagation | Alex - Nigeria, IMO 03-Sep-2008

Pawpaw - Red RD2 Hybrid

I am growing the Bi Sexual Red Pawpaw in my Aquaponics system. It is growing amazingly well setting fruit just 10 weeks from seedling. | Murray Hallam - North Maclean, QLD 05-Jan-2009

For Further Information:

DPI Queensland Australia

Updated: 12th of November, 2007 at 10:56am © Disclaimer/Privacy/Copyright