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Asimina triloba - (L.)Dunal.

Papaw

Author	(L.)Dunal.	Botanical references	11, 43, 200
Family	Annonaceae	Genus	Asimina
Synonyms	Annona triloba - L.
Known Hazards	The seed contains a toxic alkaloid and is poisonous[106, 274]. The leaves can cause dermatitis in a small number of sensitive people[222, 274]. Other reports say that handling the fruit can cause dermatitis[200, 227].
Range	South-eastern N. America - New Jersey to Florida, west to Texas and Nebraska.
Habitat	An understorey tree of woodlands, growing in deep rich moist soils of river valleys and bottomlands, often forming dense thickets[229].
Edibility Rating	4 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	2 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

A decidious Shrub growing to 4.5m by 4m at a slow rate.

The plant prefers medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; South Wall By; West Wall By;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit.

Edible fruit - raw or cooked[2, 3, 11, 46, 62, 99]. A very good size, it can be up to 16cm long and 4cm wide[82, 200]. Of variable quality, some forms (with orange skins) are exquisite with the flavour of banana custard whilst others (with yellow, white or dark brown skins) can be unpleasant[57, 85, 183]. Another report says that the white fruits are mildly flavoured and later ripening than the orange fruits[227]. The fruit can also be used for making preserves, pies, ice cream and other sweet desserts[183]. The fruit falls from the tree in autumn and is then stored until fully ripe[227]. The fruit can cause gastro-intestinal upsets for some people[274].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Diuretic; Emetic; Laxative; Narcotic; Parasiticide.

The fruit is used as a laxative[222]. The leaves are diuretic[222]. They are applied externally to boils, ulcers and abscesses[4, 222]. The seed contains the alkaline asiminine, which is emetic and narcotic[222, 227]. They have been powdered and applied to hair to kill lice[222]. The bark is a bitter tonic[4]. It contains the alkaline analobine, which is used medicinally[227].

Other Uses

Dye; Fibre; Insecticide; Wood.

A fibre from the inner bark is used for making strong rope and string[61, 82, 227, 257]. The seed has insecticidal properties[222]. A yellow dye is made from the ripe flesh of the fruit[229]. Wood - light, soft, weak, spongy, coarse grained[82]. It weighs 24lb per cubic foot[227]. It is not used commercially[229].

Cultivation details

Prefers a rich loamy soil with plenty of moisture and a sunny position[1, 134, 160]. Plants are hardy to about -20°c according to one report[184], whilst another says that they are hardy to -35°c when fully dormant[160]. The papaw produces a delicious edible fruit which is a potentially commercial crop[61]. The wild-collected fruit is often sold in local markets in America[82]. The tree commences bearing in 4 - 6 years from seed and yields up to 30 kilos per tree[160]. There are some named varieties[183]. The mature fruit is rarely seen in Britain[182], only ripening after a long hot summer[200]. A small tree growing against a south-facing wall at Bristol Botanical Gardens had a small crop of immature fruit in early September 1996 (following the hot summer of 1995) - this was the first time it had been seen to bear fruit[K]. Flowers are formed in the leaf axils of wood produced the previous summer[82, 229]. Established plants resent root disturbance, the best plants are obtained by planting them out into their permanent positions as young as possible though young plants should be given some protection for their first year or two[200]. The leaves emit a heavy unpleasant odour when crushed[82, 229]. Plants are untroubled by pests or diseases[160].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[200]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c[134]. Stored seed requires stratification, it has embryo dormancy and an impermeable seedcoat and can take up to 18 months to germinate[113, 134]. Dried seed quickly loses its viability. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for t least their first winter. If trying them outdoors, plant them into their permanent positions in early summer once the plants are more than 15cm tall. Consider giving them some protection from winter cold for their first winter outdoors. Layering.

Cultivars

No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Links

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[3] Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7
A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man. 0
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[62] Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982 ISBN 0442222009
Very readable.

[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.

[85] Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9
A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.

[99] Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum 1979 ISBN 0-7718-8117-7
Excellent and readable guide.

[106] Coon. N. The Dictionary of Useful Plants. Rodale Press 1975 ISBN 0-87857-090-x
Interesting reading but short on detail.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[134] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.

[160] Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987. 0
Fascinating reading, this is an annual publication. Some reports do seem somewhat exaggerated though.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[184] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1900 species and cultivars.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[227] Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982 ISBN 0292780206
A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.

[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

[274] Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999 ISBN 1-889878-01-4
An excellent flora, which is also available on-line.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Asimina triloba

Steve Hawkins Fri Sep 19 08:58:42 2003

Only having access to a number of other references enabled me to realise that you are not talking here about what most people would call pawpaw, but one of the many plants called 'custard apple' or, as herbalists might have it 'pawpaw seeds'. You really should add real pawpaw aka Papaya Carica papaya to your list or at least point out in your 'Pawpaw' listing that this is a different plant altogether and certainly not hardy to -35C (is anything hardy to -35C?). I was checking your otherwise excellent seeming site to see what you had to say about Carica papaya seeds, and was initially surprised to read your poison warning until realising your pawpaw was not papaya (nor indeed that 'Pawpaw seeds' weren't papaya seeds - something you should really point out!). Papaya has many uses as you will know, and has long been used as a source of the tenderising enzyme papain. I have heard other people remark that papaya seeds could be used as a peppery spice like nasturtium for eg, but was surprised to find no reference to this in my Oxford Book of Food Plants. My trusty 'Mrs Grieve' - though old, still my first point of reference for its sheer scope and depth of info and 'lore' on so many plants - tells me the seeds contain a 'glucoside' (glycoside?) caricin, and a 'ferment' myrosin, which together react to form a 'pungent body' reminiscent of mustard oil. Presumably this is why she goes on that 'the seeds cannot be detected from capers'. There is plenty more you could tell your readers about real pawpaw Carica papaya - and Mrs Grieve is a good place to start bearing in mind that some of the chemical and plant names will have changed since it was written. Though, I believe your initial intention was to list useful plants hardy in the British Isles, where confusion could exist with other species you should point this out, especially where there are conflicts of edibility/toxicity between species sharing a common name and which general public would not realise were referring to different plants. Indeed, your database should be allowed to expand to gradually expand to include useful plants from all over the world - a modern version of Mrs Grieve's 'Modern Herbal' which is long overdue for a 21Century update! In this 'globalised' world we need to know about the uses of all the plants, eventually, if we are to appreciate what a wealth of biodiversity we are depriving future generations of when we carelessly clear the forests and other wild places away. Sincerely, Steve Hawkins 01582 721907 (Luton Beds)

Asimina triloba

Michael Stites Fri Apr 30 04:46:51 2004

When I was younger, I discovered that our family farm in eastern Kansas had a sizeable grove of these trees. As luck would have it, this was during autumn when the novel fruits of this species were ripe. They have a very pungent odor and can, as I remember, grow to be quite large. Last fall, I decided to learn more about A. triloba, so I did some research and found that Kentucky State University conducts a large research program. As noted on their website, they are trying to develop the fruit as a commercially available crop. I believe that parts of the tree have been found to contain anti-cancer constituents, as well.

Link: Kentucky State University Pawpaw Information Website Pawpaw research and breeding program

Asimina triloba

Thomas Sun Jun 25 2006

i believe it's "pawpaw" and not "papaw"

Asimina triloba

Paul d'Aoust Sat Apr 5 2008

I just thought I'd point out an error: being an understory plant, the pawpaw actually prefers shade, and in fact doesn't like full sun. In addition, most cultivars are self-sterile, though a couple (e.g., PRIMA 1216) are self-fertile. (I believe this was posted previously, as seen in a cached version of this page http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Asimina+triloba .)

Pawpaw fruit facts botanical and cultural information

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