Overview

Bring a taste of the tropics to your backyard with this robust paw paw tree live plant. Known for its unique, custard-like fruit, the paw paw (Asimina triloba) is North America’s largest native edible fruit. This particular specimen is a healthy, 1ft tall, well-rooted plant, ready to establish itself and thrive in your home garden. Perfect for both novice and experienced gardeners, the paw paw tree offers a rewarding experience with its relatively fast growth rate and delicious harvest. Enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own exotic fruit, right in your own outdoor space.

The paw paw tree is a deciduous tree that produces large, flavorful fruits resembling a mango or banana. It’s often called the ‘custard apple’ due to its creamy texture and sweet taste. Our paw paw tree live plant is cultivated to ensure a strong start, providing you with a foundation for a productive and beautiful fruit-bearing tree. It’s a wonderful choice for those looking to diversify their edible landscape and enjoy a truly unique, homegrown delicacy.

Key Benefits

Investing in a paw paw tree live plant offers numerous advantages for any gardening enthusiast. This fruit tree provides not only delicious produce but also adds aesthetic value and ecological benefits to your property.

• Unique Fruit Production: Harvest your own sweet, creamy, tropical-flavored paw paw fruit right from your garden. The distinctive taste is often compared to a blend of banana, mango, and pineapple, offering an exotic treat not commonly found in stores.
• Fast-Growing & Low Maintenance: These trees are known for their relatively fast growth rate and require minimal care once established, making them an excellent choice for busy gardeners. Enjoy significant growth without constant fuss.
• Native & Resilient: As a native North American tree, the asimina triloba tree is well-adapted to various climates and soil types, demonstrating strong resistance to many common pests and diseases. This natural hardiness contributes to its ease of care.
• Attractive Landscape Addition: Beyond its fruit, the paw paw tree boasts attractive foliage and a pleasing pyramidal shape, adding a touch of natural beauty to your yard. Its large leaves provide excellent shade in the summer months.
• Supports Local Wildlife: The paw paw tree serves as a host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly, contributing to local biodiversity and attracting beautiful pollinators to your garden.
• Cold Hardy: Tolerant of cold temperatures, the growing paw paw tree can thrive in a wide range of USDA zones, making it a versatile choice for many regions across the US.
• Healthy & Nutritious Fruit: Paw paw fruit is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, offering a healthy and delicious addition to your diet. Enjoy fresh fruit picked directly from your own paw paw fruit tree.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your paw paw tree live plant is straightforward, ensuring a bountiful harvest with proper attention. Paw paw trees thrive in specific conditions, but are generally forgiving once established. They prefer a location with full to partial sun exposure, meaning at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. While young trees benefit from some afternoon shade to prevent leaf scorch, mature trees produce more fruit in full sun. Ensure your planting site has good air circulation.

When it comes to watering, consistent moisture is key, especially during the first few years after planting. Water regularly, about 1-2 times per week, ensuring the soil remains moist but not waterlogged. Once established, the trees become more drought-tolerant but will still benefit from irrigation during dry spells. The ideal soil for a paw paw fruit tree is well-draining, fertile, and slightly acidic (pH 5.5-7.0). Amending heavy clay soils with organic matter like compost can improve drainage and nutrient availability. Mulching around the base of the tree with wood chips or straw helps retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and suppress weeds.

Fertilize your young paw paw tree live plant sparingly in its first year. After that, a balanced, slow-release fertilizer can be applied in early spring before new growth begins. Follow product instructions carefully to avoid over-fertilization. Paw paw trees are generally hardy in USDA Zones 5–9, tolerating winter temperatures well. Pruning is typically minimal, focusing on removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches to maintain good structure and air flow. Keep an eye out for common pests like the paw paw peduncle borer, though serious issues are rare for this resilient native plant. Good paw paw tree care practices will ensure a productive and healthy tree for years to come.

Size & Details

This offering is for one healthy paw paw tree live plant, measuring approximately 1ft tall from the base of the rootball to the tip of the foliage. The plant is well-rooted in its nursery container, ensuring a strong start for transplanting into your garden. Paw paw trees generally exhibit a medium to fast growth rate, often growing 1-2 feet per year once established. Mature trees can reach an impressive height of 15-20 feet with a spread of 10-15 feet, forming an attractive pyramidal shape.

The tree will be shipped in a sturdy nursery pot, protecting its root system during transit. While the initial growth may focus on root development, expect noticeable vegetative growth in its second season. Fruiting typically begins 3-5 years after planting, with optimal production occurring as the tree matures. This paw paw tree live plant is a perfect size for easy handling and planting, allowing you to quickly integrate this unique fruit tree into your landscape design. It’s an excellent investment for long-term enjoyment and delicious harvests.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this paw paw tree get? A: This particular paw paw tree live plant is 1ft tall upon arrival. Mature paw paw trees can reach heights of 15-20 feet and a spread of 10-15 feet, providing a substantial fruit-bearing and shade tree for your garden.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The paw paw tree is an outdoor plant. It requires a significant amount of space and sunlight to thrive and produce fruit, making it unsuitable for long-term indoor cultivation.
• Q: How much sunlight does a paw paw tree need? A: Paw paw trees prefer full to partial sun. Young trees benefit from some afternoon shade, but mature trees require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal fruit production.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the paw paw tree live plant is considered relatively low-maintenance once established. It’s a hardy native tree that tolerates various conditions and is generally resistant to pests and diseases, making for easy paw paw tree care.
• Q: What condition will the paw paw tree arrive in? A: Your paw paw tree live plant will arrive well-rooted in a nursery pot, carefully packaged to ensure its health and safety during transit. It will be ready for immediate planting upon arrival.
• Q: When is the best time to plant a paw paw tree? A: The best time to plant a paw paw tree live plant is in the spring after the last frost, or in early fall before the ground freezes. This allows the tree to establish its root system before extreme weather.
• Q: Will this tree survive winter in my zone? A: Paw paw trees are cold hardy and suitable for USDA Zones 5–9. If you are within these zones, your asimina triloba tree should survive winter without special protection.
• Q: How long until this paw paw fruit tree produces fruit? A: Typically, a growing paw paw tree will begin to produce fruit 3-5 years after planting, though this can vary depending on growing conditions and specific cultivar.
• Q: Does a paw paw tree need another tree to produce fruit? A: Most paw paw varieties require cross-pollination from a different paw paw tree cultivar to produce fruit. It’s recommended to plant at least two different varieties for optimal fruit set.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for a paw paw tree? A: Paw paw trees thrive in well-draining, fertile, slightly acidic soil. Amending heavy soils with organic matter can greatly improve drainage and provide essential nutrients for your paw paw fruit tree.