Pawpaw Tree

Pawpaw Tree for Sale: America's Largest Native Fruit, Grown in Tennessee

The pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) is a native fruit tree that grows 15 to 30 feet tall and bears custard-textured fruit with a banana-mango flavor. Pawpaw trees are hardy in USDA zones 5–8 and grow in full sun to partial shade. TN Nursery ships bare-root pawpaw trees Buy 1 Get 1 Free, the two trees needed for fruit.

Pawpaw is the northernmost member of the custard apple family, Annonaceae, and the largest edible fruit native to North America. Gardeners also call the pawpaw tree paw paw, common pawpaw, American pawpaw, Indiana banana and Hoosier banana. Wild pawpaw groves grow along rivers and forest edges from the Great Lakes south to the Gulf states, and Thomas Jefferson grew pawpaw at Monticello. Because the soft fruit is rarely sold in stores, planting a pawpaw fruit tree is the most reliable way to enjoy a fresh harvest.

• Botanical name: Asimina triloba, custard apple family (Annonaceae)
• Also called: paw paw tree, common pawpaw, American pawpaw, Indiana banana, Hoosier banana
• Fruit: 3- to 6-inch green fruit with yellow, custard-like flesh, ripening August–October
• Flowers: 1- to 2-inch, deep maroon, bell-shaped flowers in April and May, before the leaves
• Foliage: large, tropical-looking leaves 6 to 12 inches long that turn golden yellow in fall
• Wildlife value: the host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly; fruit feeds birds, foxes and opossums
• What ships: bare-root trees in 1–2 ft, 2–3 ft, 3–4 ft and 4–5 ft sizes; Buy 1 Get 1 Free, Buy 3 Get 2 Free and 25-tree wholesale packs

What Is a Pawpaw Tree?

A pawpaw tree is a small, native, deciduous fruit tree of the eastern United States that produces the largest edible fruit native to North America. A mature pawpaw tree grows 15 to 30 feet tall with a pyramid-shaped to rounded crown.

Pawpaw fruit tastes like a blend of banana, mango and melon, with smooth, custard-like flesh and large brown seeds. Each fruit weighs 5 to 16 ounces, and the fruits hang in clusters of two to nine.

Do You Need Two Pawpaw Trees to Get Fruit?

Yes. Pawpaw trees need cross-pollination from a second, genetically different pawpaw tree to set fruit, so plant at least two pawpaw trees within 30 feet of each other. The TN Nursery Buy 1 Get 1 Free offer ships two pawpaw trees, which gives a home orchard its pollination partner from the start.

Pawpaw flowers are pollinated by flies and beetles rather than honeybees. Planting three or more pawpaw trees in a small grove raises pollination and fruit set. The Buy 3 Get 2 Free pack (5 trees) and the 25-tree wholesale pack suit a backyard grove or an orchard row.

Where Do Pawpaw Trees Grow Best?

Pawpaw trees grow best in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 8, in moist, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Pawpaw trees grow in full sun to partial shade; full sun gives the heaviest fruit crop on established trees.

In the wild, young pawpaw trees grow as understory trees beneath taller hardwoods, so a little afternoon shade during the first one to two summers helps young trees settle in.

How Fast Do Pawpaw Trees Grow?

Pawpaw trees grow at a moderate rate of about 1 to 2 feet per year once established. Bare-root pawpaw trees typically begin fruiting 4 to 7 years after planting, and larger trees reach fruiting age sooner.

What Grows Well With Pawpaw Trees?

Other native fruit trees and shrubs grow well with pawpaw trees in an edible landscape. An American persimmon tree ripens sweet fruit in fall right after the pawpaw harvest, and an elderberry adds summer berries at the grove edge. A mulberry tree fruits in early summer, so the three together give a long season of harvests. For reforestation, wildlife plantings or a large orchard, our pawpaw tree seedlings offer the same species in bulk. A redbud tree blooms pink beside the maroon pawpaw flowers in April. Browse more home orchard options in our fruit trees collection.

How Do You Plant a Bare-Root Pawpaw Tree?

Plant a bare-root pawpaw tree while it is dormant, from November through April, in a hole twice as wide as the roots and just as deep. Set the root collar at soil level and space pawpaw trees 8 to 15 feet apart.

At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we grow pawpaw trees in the field, dig them while dormant and ship them bare root, with no soil around the roots. Each tree arrives as a leafless, dormant young pawpaw with its roots packed in moist material.

1. Soak the roots in water for 2 to 4 hours before planting.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root spread and as deep as the roots.
3. Spread the roots out and set the root collar level with the soil surface.
4. Backfill with native soil, firm it gently and water deeply.
5. Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch, keeping the mulch 3 inches away from the trunk.

Planting & Growing Information

Botanical Name: Asimina triloba
Plant Family: Annonaceae (custard apple family)
Ships: Bare root, 1–2 ft, 2–3 ft, 3–4 ft or 4–5 ft
Planting Zone: 5–8
Height at Maturity: 15–30 feet tall, with a 15–20 foot spread
Spacing: 8–15 feet apart; plant at least 2 trees for fruit
Sun or Shade: Full sun to partial shade; light shade helps young trees
Water Needs: Moderate to regular; keep soil evenly moist
Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil
Bloom Season: April–May
Flower Color: Deep maroon
Fruit Season: August–October
Native Range: Eastern United States, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf states
Care: Water deeply during dry spells, mulch each spring and prune in late winter to shape the tree.
Plant Attributes: Native, edible fruit, butterfly host plant, shade tolerant when young, golden fall color

Pawpaw Tree FAQ

How big do pawpaw trees get?

Pawpaw trees grow 15 to 30 feet tall with a 15- to 20-foot spread, which makes the pawpaw a good size for home yards.

What zones do pawpaw trees grow in?

Pawpaw trees grow in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 8.

When do pawpaw trees bear fruit?

Pawpaw fruit ripens from August to October, and bare-root pawpaw trees usually begin fruiting 4 to 7 years after planting.

What does pawpaw fruit taste like?

Pawpaw fruit tastes like a mix of banana, mango and melon, with soft, custard-like yellow flesh.

Can pawpaw trees grow in shade?

Yes. Pawpaw trees grow in partial shade, and young pawpaw trees benefit from light shade, while full sun gives mature trees the largest fruit crops.

What butterfly uses the pawpaw tree?

The zebra swallowtail butterfly lays its eggs on pawpaw trees, and zebra swallowtail caterpillars feed on pawpaw leaves.

Grown and Shipped by TN Nursery

TN Nursery has grown hardy native plants since 1959, more than 65 years of experience, and has supplied plants to major U.S. landmarks like the Washington Monument and Arlington National Cemetery. At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we grow pawpaw trees in our own fields and ship them bare root during the dormant season, so each tree arrives ready to plant. Want to learn more first? Read The Ultimate Guide to Soil Preparation for Pawpaw Trees, Easy Fruit Trees to Have in the Garden and the Bare Root Planting Guide for Trees and Shrubs on our garden blog, or browse our native trees.