Pawpaws in Oregon: July 1996
Pawpaw, Asimina triloba L. is an American fruit native from Florida to New York and
generally west to the Mississippi. Although pawpaws enjoy the summer heat of the south, the
plant may do well under the climate in the Pacific Northwest. Some selections of this
plant have been made over the last 100 years, however this fruit has not been commercialized. It has
'new crop' potential. The yellow custard-like fruit has high amino acid content; anti-
carcinogens are present in the leaves; extracts from the twigs and leaves have some insecticidal
properties.
NCGR Pawpaw patch begins its first season of growth
Our unit and Oregon State University are participating in a Pawpaw variety trial in cooperation
with the National Pawpaw Foundation. We, along with 15 other sites across the country,
planted replicated blocks of 28 cultivars and selections in a specified research plot in 1995. At
Corvallis, Oregon, the plants leafed-out slowly in May, after a relatively mild winter with record rainfall. Genotype differences in plant vigor are already visible. Some clones are 1.5 m tall; others only half that size.
Return to this space periodically for further updates.
K. Hummer, 1 July 1996