Paw Paws in north Missouri ?

[dipbait]

I found two large stands of Paw Paw trees. Hundreds of trees and not one fruit. Does any of you know what time of year they produce in Northern Missouri?

 

[richard j]

i know here in ohio its around early september so they might be earlier down south.

 

[ejes]

dipbait, there could be several reasons you aren't finding fruit. If it has been as cold there at night as it has been here, the fruit has already fallen. If that is what has happened, it is likely that you won't find anything on the ground either. Once they fall, what is not quickly consumed by animals like coons, skunks and squirrels, rots extremely fast. Here around Topeka, I picked most of my Paw Paws 2 - 3 weeks ago.

Another reason they don't produce could be this. If you find a large grove that does not produce or produces very little, what you could be seeing are trees known in the Paw Paw community as "clones". These trees grow from the roots of one "mother tree" (a large older tree). These trees are genetically the same. The vast majority of Paw Paws cannot self-pollinate; they must have pollen that is genetically different from one another. There is speculation that one variety can do this, but it has not been proven. (Ironically enough, it is the Sunflower variety indigenous to Kansas). So, you need two genetically different trees to pollinate, and the larger the grove of trees of the same genetic code, the less your chances that pollen from a genetically different tree is going to be able to travel that far to get there. Consider, too, that the Paw Paw flower has a slightly bad, rather putrid smell and is not brightly colored (visible or UV) and so is not frequented by honey bees. Flies, beetles, etc. are relied upon for the task.

A third reason is that sometimes a patch is hit with a light frost in the spring. The flowers are pretty delicate, and it has been my experience that even the slightest frost ruins the flowers, pollination, and the subsequent crop.

 

[dipbait]

Thanks for the info.

I just found them this week. The reason I know they are papaws is they are on Missouri conservation land and there is a sign on one stating it. I have never eaten a pawpaw and want to go back neat year when they are ripe. Out of two large stands i ought to find one that produces, unless an early frost ruins it.

 

[ejes]

Yeah, I usually go out around the 3rd or 4th week of Sept. just to check to see if any fruit are developing on the trees. If not, I move on to the next spot. That way I don't waste time just running from spot to spot when they are ripe since they don't last long.

I've planted some grafted trees on my property. Hopefully they'll produce in a few years so I can stop running around from patch to patch on public land.

 

[richard j]

look on the ground and see if there are seeds that look like extremely large kidney beans. if you find some you're too late. they were very few this year from what my brother in law told me. if you didnt know, before they are ripe to eat the skin must turn black.

 

[ejes]

Color isn't always a good indicator; in fact is is unreliable. True, lot of time they are mottled and black when ripe, but this year my sweetest ones were still green and yellow. Use color, softness and smell all together to tell. It should smell sweet and give slightly, but not break open and be mushy. You can still eat it if it does and is, but it will be more like an over-ripe banana.

 

[dipbait]

Ejes, do you preserve pawpaws, make dishes out of them, or just eat them raw?

 

[ejes]

I eat some out there while picking, but mostly I mash them through a fruit/jelly colander and use the pulp in cakes, muffins, breads and homemade ice cream. As far as preserving it, I put it in containers and freeze it and it seems to do fine. It is somewhat of a pain to get the pulp that way, but nothing worth doin' is ever easy.

 

[Mr.Bojangles]

I'm in Northern Virginia and didn't even know these fruits existed until ~6 months ago when my grandfather told me he transplanted a young one he had found on a friend's property into his garden. The tree is still pretty small (hopefully it survives the winter) and so it didn't produce much fruit, but I did get to enjoy a very small one. It tasted very similar to how my grandfather described it...sort of like a mango-banana. Not something I'd want to eat every day, but definitely unique and tasty. I would like to try some food made with these in the future. What are your favorite things to use them in Ejes?

 

[ejes]

Hands down, my favorite thing to make with them is cake! I use the Kentucky State University website a lot for Paw Paw reading. There may not be any place else that does more Paw Paw study. They have a great recipe page. I've always liked to cook and bake, so I take these recipes and tweak them to the way I like them, but they are a great base to start at because even if you follow these to the "T" they are still good. Their cake with Lemon Butter Frosting is my favorite followed by the Spiced Paw Paw Fruit Cake.

http://www.pawpaw.kysu.edu/pawpaw/recipes.htm