Pawpaws are a unique addition to the American natural world that few are even aware of. They are a tropical tasting fruit that range from Georgia all the way to South-Eastern Canada and Michigan. Often a treat of foragers – some also decide to grow them at home or on commercial orchards!
It’s flowers are a beautiful crimson but I wouldn’t recommend smelling them! Their flowers give off the scent of rot in order to attract their favorite pollinators – flies. The Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly will exclusively host their caterpillars on the leaves of the pawpaw tree, making it an important component of the ecosystem.
The fruit of the pawpaw has a soft custardy texture with a flavor similar to mango, banana and vanilla. Because of their soft texture and ripening season only being a couple months in the fall, you only have a short window to catch a taste of this unique and little known fruit. Between the months of August and October is their usual ripe seasons, so don’t miss out!