The Pawpaw Tree

With summer kicking off, I’m already eagerly waiting for the last few weeks of the season — prime pawpaw time.

The amazing pawpaw

I don’t think most people would expect Pennsylvania to be home to a delicious tropical fruit. Take a walk through northern PA’s forests and you might find one of my favorite trees — and if your timing is right, one of my favorite fruits too.

When ripe, a pawpaw tastes like mango/banana custard. I’ve noticed that every tree is a bit different — some are pretty meh, but others are insanely tasty.

Last year I collected a few pawpaw seeds from a tree in a nearby park, and I’m looking forward to growing a few on our property. I’ll need to plant a few trees though as you need genetically different trees for cross-pollination.