By Betty Struckhoff
I needed to prune a pawpaw tree that grew too far into another shrub, and rather than just throwing the clippings away, I decided to see if I could get them to bloom. Here are the results. Click either image for a larger version.
By Betty Struckhoff
I needed to prune a pawpaw tree that grew too far into another shrub, and rather than just throwing the clippings away, I decided to see if I could get them to bloom. Here are the results. Click either image for a larger version.
What a great idea. I’m a fan of pawpaws – the blooms, the fruit, and the food they provide for zebra swallowtail butterflies. Thanks for sharing the project and results.
Mine is 8-10 years old and I’m still waiting for the fruit! Missing a pollinator maybe?
What a great idea.
I have 7 paws paws in a fairly shady spot. I planted them in 2007 and they’re still pretty small. At what point do they bloom?
Paws Paws I planted 5 years ago are still pretty small. At what age do they bloom?
The Paw Paws in my yard started blooming after about 5 years I think, but it took several years more for them to produce fruit.
They are pollinated by tiny black flies which are attracted to the rotten grape smell of the flowers. (It probably helps to have the compost close-by, too.)
The fruits start off looking like tiny green pears, and if heavy winds or rain don’t knock them off, they will develop into mature fruits. But, I rarely harvested any, because the raccoons and possums got to them first.
My yard is very shady, and the number of fruits produced on the biggest tree was about only 20 from over 100 flowers.
Over time more trees sprouted, either from seed or from root sprout. I think there are now 20 trees there.
Betty, have the blooming branches sprouted roots?
Hopefully, the trees planted in 2007 will be blooming soon. Right now my buds outside are still tiny, fuzzy brown beads.
Paw paws spread by suckering roots. My first mistake was trying to transplant some from my family’s farm. They had virtually no root system and all disappeared, so I bought a potted seedling. Then, several years later, one of the original plants showed up! I have yet to see a bloom on it.
The forced blooms’ branches did not grow roots and are now in the compose heap.
I am confused. You guys had paw paws that were blossoming in February instead of April? Does anyone see the beginnings of fruits yet? NONE of the wild paw paw patches I’ve looked at this week have fruit starting. So I thought with the cold April weather keeping the flies inactive, maybe we won’t have any fruit this year? I also don’t see any wild gooseberries starting to make fruit. Boo hoo hoo. I will be so sad if we get neither this year.
Alison