Pawpaw Asimina triloba (Linnaeus) Dunal    Synonyms: Common Pawpaw, Common Pawpaw.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Magnoliales   >   Family Annonaceae   >   Genus Asimina   

Description:

A thicket-forming understory tree with large, tropical-looking leaves and the largest edible fruit native to North America. Pawpaw requires cross pollination and must reach 5 to 8 years of age to fruit.

Where to find:

Pawpaw was previously infrequent and confined mainly to mesic, low-altitude sites, but in recent decades it has increased in abundance and expanded its range into drier habitats. This increase may be due to the unpalatability of its foliage to deer.

Relationships:

The tree’s large, custard-like fruit, with a tropical flavor, appeals to small animals such as raccoons, opossums, and birds.

Host plant for Zebra Swallowtail.

Pawpaw is the host plant for various moth species including Spotted Apatelodes Moth, Asimina Webworm Moth, Pawpaw Sphinx Moth, and Speckled Talponia Moth.

There are 964 records in the project database.

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Pawpaw growing in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (5/10/2016). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Kent Co., Maryland (6/22/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/15/2021). (c) Matthew Beziat, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Leaves of Pawpaw growing in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/6/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/2/2014). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Pawpaw flowering in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/27/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Kent Co., Maryland (4/27/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Pawpaw budding in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/12/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Pawpaw budding in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/18/2017). Photo by Ashley Bradford. (MBP list)

Flower and leaf buds of a Pawpaw in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/12/2015). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Pawpaw with fruit in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/17/2012). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in fruit in Kent Co., Maryland (6/22/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Pawpaw fruiting in Washington Co., Maryland (7/5/2016). Photo by Derek Hudgins. (MBP list)

Pawpaw flowering in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/10/2018). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Pawpaw fruiting in Washington Co., Maryland (9/14/2020). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

Pawpaw seeds in Washington Co., Maryland (3/5/2017). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

The bud of a Pawpaw in Caroline Co., Maryland (3/23/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Pawpaw fruiting in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/11/2007). Photo by Janice Browne. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Washington Co., Maryland (4/5/2020). (c) kbarylski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by kbarylski via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Kent Co., Maryland (4/27/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/7/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Pawpaw growing in Washington Co., Maryland (10/31/2016). Photo by Linda Lewis. (MBP list)

Pawpaw growing in Harford Co., Maryland (8/6/2017). The eggs are Zebra Swallowtail. Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/10/2019). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/7/2016). (c) whitneybailey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). Photo by whitneybailey via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (4/12/2020). (c) jstandish, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by jstandish via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/29/2017). (c) wimper, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by wimper via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Talbot Co., Maryland (4/11/2020). (c) jared satchell, all rights reserved. Photo by Jared Satchell. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Harford Co., Maryland (6/2/2020). (c) Dwight Johnson, all rights reserved. Photo by Dwight Johnson. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/4/2019). (c) Dwight Johnson, all rights reserved. Photo by Dwight Johnson. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Baltimore City, Maryland (7/17/2019). (c) Dwight Johnson, all rights reserved. Photo by Dwight Johnson. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/12/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Pawpaw in Montgomery Co., Maryland (8/23/2021). (c) Joe Saliunas, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Joe S via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

An understory dominated by Pawpaw in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/15/2018). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Pawpaw fruit hosting American Carrion Beetles in Montgomery Co., Maryland (8/29/2012). Photo by Fritz Flohr Reynolds. (MBP list)


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