Sunflower Pawpaw
Asimina triloba 'Sunflower'
Plant Details:
Plant Type: Deciduous Tree
Plant Family: Annonaceae
Plant Description: A small deciduous tree native to the eastern US that produces delicious, golden yellow fruit. This Pawpaw is self-fertile and will not need another tree to produce fruit in the early fall, but planting a second variety for better pollination is recommended. The taste is like a combination of banana and mango, with creamy, spoonable, buttery flesh. The fruit isn't fully ripe until mottled with black and very soft. In addition to appealing fruit, this tree has cup-shaped, deep red to purple flowers that bloom in the spring, which attract beetle pollinators. Fall will turn the elongated foliage a golden yellow. Pawpaws are understory trees and are sensitive to full sunlight when young. Best practice is to cover seedlings with a shade cloth to create filtered shade while they're young, then remove the cloth once established to increase fruiting. Require moist, fertile soils and tolerate clay and alkaline soils.
Maintenance:
Maintenance Type: Tree - Fruit
Plant Care: Tree - Fruit (single-stemmed woody plants cultivated for their edible fruit): Prune regularly to promote health, provide air circulation, maintain a desirable shape, and to remove dead or damaged branches. Pruning is best done in late winter to early spring. Pruning techniques vary depending on tree species. Understand the needs of each tree type before pruning.
Provide adequate water and nutrients to aid in fruit development. Thin fruit as necessary to avoid excessive stress on the tree, especially on apple and peach trees.
Fruit trees will require pest control to reduce damage to fruit and to keep the tree healthy. Find out the appropriate pest control methods for the species before attempting to control pests.
Plant Attributes:
Mature Size: 12-15' tall and wide
Utah Native: No
Plant Select: No
Pollinator Friendly: Yes
Localscapes: Tree, Foundation Plant, Perimeter Plant
Foliage Interest: No
Foliage Colors: Green
Bloom Colors: Purple, Red
Bloom Seasons: Spring
Bloom Period: Apr - Apr
Growing Conditions:
Hardiness Zone: 5 to
Light Requirement: Full Sun (6+ hrs sun), Part Shade (4-6 hrs morning sun), Part Sun (4-6 hrs afternoon sun)
Irrigation Requirement: 
Moderate (1/2" every 7-10 days)
Moderate (1/2" every 7-10 days)
Salt Tolerant: Unknown
Deer Resistant: Unknown
Garden Location:
-
Neighborhood Landscapes
- Harvest Haven
-
Spring -
Summer -
Fall -
Winter
