Pawpaws are the only large fruit native to North America—they fed mastodons and bear-sized ground slothsmillennia ago. More recently, Native Americans ate pawpaws, and George Washington enjoyed them as a favorite dessert. Yet they are little known today.
Native to the eastern half of the United States, pawpaws area little bigger than an avocado and comparably heavy.A ripe pawpaw has an almost liquid texture with a pungent, sweet smell and a taste reminiscent of tropical fruits such as mangoes and bananas. (They’re sometimes referred to as the poor man’s banana or hillbilly mangoes.) In terms of taste, the fruit is at times celebrated, and at times belittled. Advocates praise pawpaws’ creamy, tropical taste. Agronomist E. Sturtevant described them as “too luscious for the relish of most people,” and botanist William Werthner said of their puckery flavor “only a boy can eat more than one at a time.”
In the earliest days of human society, pawpaw trees were unusually generous. Fruits and vegetables such as corn, strawberries, and carrots were small and bitter before humans tediously grafted and bred them for size and flavor. But wild pawpaws were large, and the fruit is one of the world’s most nutritious, providinga good source of potassium, several amino acids, and Vitamin C, iron, and copper. Pawpaws were a staple of many Native American diets, andLewis and Clark were content to live off them during a leg of their 1804-06 journey across America.
But while many shortcomings of apples and strawberries were bred away, a lingering characteristic of the pawpaw became a liability in the modern world: its short shelf life.The trees are only harvestable from late August to mid-September, and if kept at room temperature, the fruit ripens to the point of fermentation within three days. Pawpaws bruise easily, and the only effective way to ship them is frozen.
Research to develop pawpaws for the mass market is still in early stages, but a cult following has developed in the last 20 or so years. At Ohio’s annual Pawpaw Festival, vendors sell pawpaw ales, ice cream, and other pawpaw foods.
FAQs
The pawpaw – North America's only native tropical fruit – Land, Air & Water.
What is North America's only native fruit tree? ›
Pawpaws are the tropical-looking fruits that are actually indigenous to North America, hardy to these colder climates—resembling papaya with a sweet banana custard taste.
What are the 3 native fruits of North America? ›
7 Fruits That Are Native to North America
- Grapes. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com. ...
- American Persimmons. American Persimmons are among the fruits that are native to North America. ...
- Cranberries. Cranberries are essential sources of nutrients. ...
- Mayhaws. ...
- PawPaws. ...
- Berries. ...
- Black Cherries. ...
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The pawpaw is one of the few fruits native to North America. But it's difficult to find them in stores because of its short growing season and because very few people know about its existence.
Which fruit is known as tropical fruit? ›
15.2. 1 Worldwide production
| Fruit | Scientific name | Production (million tonnes) |
|---|
| Major tropical fruits |
| Banana | Musa AAA Cavendish | 116.78a |
| Mango | Mangifera indica | 41.89a |
| Pineapple | Ananas comosus | 28.18a |
56 more rowsSome tropical frutis such as the banana, mango and pineapple are now as familiar as the apple and pear in temperate regions. In comparison with fruits of temperate regions, many tropical species have been much neglected in international markets.
What is America's largest native fruit? ›
Pawpaw fruits are the largest edible fruit indigenous to the United States (not counting gourds, which are typically considered vegetables rather than fruit for culinary purposes, although in botany they are classified as fruit).
What is the favorite fruit of Native Americans? ›
American Persimmons
It is called Diospyros virginiana and can be found mostly in the southeastern parts of North America. This fruit was an essential part of the diet of Native Americans, either fresh or dried.
Are any fruits native to America? ›
Cranberries, persimmons and other native fruits are among the true American originals.
What is the most popular fruit in North America? ›
Which fruit is most popular in U.S and why? Bananas and apples are the country's most widely consumed fruits. The average person consumes over 11 pounds of bananas each year. Apples come in second place at just over 10 pounds per person.
There are lots of fruits that can be found growing in Hawaii. Mangos, guava, avocados, mountain apples, papayas, oranges, limes, lemons, bread fruit and passion fruit all grow in Hawaii.
What is the largest edible fruit native to North America? ›
Pawpaw, the largest edible fruit native to North America.
What is the number one fruit in America? ›
What is the most widely eaten fruit? What is the favorite fruit in the USA? According to a 2022 survey, bananas are the most widely purchased fruit in the United States. In 2020, 65% of respondents to a survey said they had purchased bananas in the previous year.
What food is native to North America? ›
The most important Indigenous American crops have generally included Indian corn (or maize, from the Taíno name for the plant), beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, wild rice, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, peanuts, avocados, papayas, potatoes and chocolate.
Are there any fruits native to America? ›
Cranberries, persimmons and other native fruits are among the true American originals. They're also the epitome of “locally grown.”
Are huckleberries native to North America? ›
Red huckleberries would probably be among the easiest of the western species to cultivate and there is some commercial demand for the fruits. V. scoparium is native throughout western North America in alpine and subalpine meadows and at edges of coniferous woods from 3,000 to 11,000 feet elevation.
Are strawberries native to North America? ›
Where Do Strawberries Come From? Strawberries are native to North America, and Indigenous peoples used them in many dishes. The first colonists in America shipped the native larger strawberry plants back to Europe as early as 1600.
