Pawpaw

Asimina triloba  Syn.  Uvaria triloba

Family:  Anonaceae Perennial deciduous tree, hardy to -20 degrees.  Native to Central and Southern United States.  America's largest edible fruit, the banana-like Paw Paw grows on a small understory tree, frequenting the creeks and hollow of the Appalachias and the gardens of an odd class of exotic fruit officianados.  The tree itself, with its giant, drooping, dog's tongue leaves, looks like an escapee from the tropical rainforest, which it may well be.  Tasting sometimes delicious, sometimes terrible, the Paw Paw was well known to Native Americans and early settlers as a survival food and as a sedative and laxative medicine.  The tincture of the seed is a bitter tonic and vermifuge, unpleasantly emetic in high dosage.  The leaves are pulverized into a poultice, used to bring boils to a head and as an application to speed the healing of skin ulcers.  Modern researchers have continued the ages-old tradition of unlocking the hidden attributes of this oddly attractive tree by attempting to isolate anti-cancer compunds from the bark and twigs.  Much of this research is being conducted by Dr. Desmond Layne at Kentucky State University in Frankfort.  Cultivation:  Extra care.  The stored seed must be kept cold and moist.  Sow in fall or spring.  At first, the seed forms a thick, branching root and then after 2 to 3 months sends up a fast-growing stem and leaves.  Grow seedlings out for one year in gallon pots and transplant to landscape in the spring.  Prefers rich, well-drained, slightly acid (pH 5.5-6.5) soil and some shade.  Grows to 10 to 25 feet tall.

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