Sprouts & Seedlings

Pawpaw seedling

Asimina triloba

Small pawpaws in an existing patch. Transplants poorly because of a taproot, so move them very small and protect from sun.

Pawpaw seedling: Seedling — SeedlingPhoto: Kevin Faccenda · CC BY · source

Confirm EVERY point before you move it

Growing in or next to an existing pawpaw patch in shade
Simple, alternate, smooth-edged leaves, broadest above the middle, with a strong midrib
Crushed leaf has a green-pepper-like smell
Rusty-brown fuzz on buds and new growth

0 of 4 confirmed. If any point does not match, it is not this plant.

Warnings

Full sun kills young pawpaws; shade them for the first 1-2 years.

Best time to move

Move while dormant: early spring before bud break or late fall. Identify in leaf (May-October).

Habitat

Shaded, rich bottomland under or beside mature pawpaws.

Parts used

seedling

Harvest note

Only take seedlings from a patch with plenty of others; get landowner permission.

Transplanting

Best window

Dormant season (early spring or late fall)

Transplant shock risk

high

Root type

taproot

Site

Part shade for years 1-2, moist well-drained rich soil

Method

Dig deep to keep as much of the taproot as possible; keep the root ball intact, water in well.

Notes

You need two genetically different trees for good fruit set. Root suckers from clones are harder than true seedlings.

Related: Pawpaw →

Educational reference only. Never eat a wild plant or mushroom based on a website or app. Confirm with an experienced forager, your local extension office, or a mycological club. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 for severe symptoms.