ASIMINA TRILOBA (PAW PAW)

It’s amazing that this plant is so unknown! Pawpaw is an understory tree native to the eastern US whose other close relatives are native to the tropics. It’s a tree that fruits and was prized by colonists in America for its taste but is nearly forgotten today except by the various forest critters that love to harvest its large, cylindrical yellow to green colored fruit with the slightly banana-like flavor. It is also a butterfly magnet in late April and early May when its deep brownish-purple flowers open up before its thick, long, tapered green leaves emerge. Better yet, it will be a perfect medium sized tree in your landscape with an easy care nature and a great story to tell!