Ready To Plant A Pawpaw Tree? Tips From Our Master Gardener To Get You Started

Once you're done getting your garden ready for spring, your mind might turn toward new plants and trees. If that means you've been looking for an easy-to-grow fruit tree and landed on the pawpaw, you probably already know about one of its biggest pros: "Because pawpaw trees are native throughout the eastern part of North America, they are well-adjusted to many growing conditions." That's according to Tiffany Selvey, House Digest's garden editor and in-house master gardener. While these native trees have a reputation for being low-maintenance and producing sweet fruit, there are a few things you should know if you want the best results.

Like most plants, pawpaws come in many varieties, some of which can get quite big. So, you'll want to pay close attention to the mature size indicated on the tree's tag. Pawpaws will thrive in almost any light conditions, but they're a tiny bit pickier about the soil. If you get it right, Selvey told House Digest, "Pawpaws produce small, reddish-purple flowers in the spring which then get pollinated to produce mature fruit in the summer or fall, depending on the location."

While they aren't especially beautiful trees, pawpaws are "hugely beneficial for their value to all kinds of wildlife and they're the host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly." They also provide decent shade in small areas, so there are plenty of reasons to add this native tree into your yard's ecosystem.

Any time you're selecting a tree for your garden, you have to understand its needs. Pawpaws may not be picky, but you still need to pay attention to a few factors when you're picking yours out. Light requirements, however, may not be one of them. "Pawpaws are understory trees that tolerate everything from deep shade to full sun," Selvey told House Digest. Its adaptability makes it a great choice for most yards.

As we mentioned, when it comes to soil conditions, pawpaws do have some preferences. "The perfect soil conditions for these specimens is slightly acidic and moist but well-draining." Keep in mind that you'll need a considerable amount of space for these trees because, as Selvey points out, they're not self-pollinating which means you'll need at least two. 

Don't forget to pick a variety with the right mature height and width for your space. "Some get quite large, over 50 feet tall, but most stay under 25 feet," Selvey said. Plant them about 15 feet from buildings and other trees for best results. If you have a smaller yard, consider one of these 15 dwarf fruit trees instead.

Once you've picked out the right variety of pawpaw for your yard, it's time to do the hard work. That's not to say planting pawpaws is particularly hard, just that planting any tree requires quite a bit of digging. As Tiffany Selvey put it, "Pawpaw trees don't have any special planting needs. Dig a hole deep enough that the soil line of the tree is level with the ground. It should be twice as wide as the root ball."

According to Selvey's exclusive advice for House Digest readers, "Late fall, when the tree is dormant, is the ideal time to plant pawpaw trees, but they're pretty tough. You can plant them about any time of year when it isn't extremely cold or hot and dry." If you're looking for more of a challenge, check out these other uncommon fruit trees that you can grow in your garden.

With these trees, digging is the hardest part. Once that's done, she says, "Amend the soil with about ⅓ compost, backfill the hole, and tamp it down." In addition to giving pawpaws decent soil to help get established after planting, your trees will need a bit of extra support (like most newly planted trees). Adding a stake on each side of a tree will give it the support it needs, especially during bad weather, until its roots are established.