I'd like to try one. Too bad this food is being wasted by being ignored.

It is the official Ohio state fruit.

There is an Ohio PawPaw Growers Association.

There are PawPaw Festivals.

Please read my post below this one.

The Paw Paw, or PawPaw, is the official Ohio state fruit.

As a child we had Paw Paw trees growing in our yard.

I ignored them, and still do intentionally.

They taste like a brown, over ripened, mushy, slimy banana.

but they totally give me the poots! Sorry if that's TMI. They are becoming fashionable here in WMass... as are quince. Meh.

That being said, i've had some delicious pawpaw baked products, just can't eat too much.



K&R

The 3 Native North American tree fruits are...
PawPaw, Persimmon and Beach Plum.

Thought they were the same.
Growing up we had a tree of those things in the yard. Thought they were pears until I tasted one (yuck) and mom told me they were poisonous!

beyond the fact they are completely separate species that come from opposite sides of the world that taste radically different from each other... nothing.

Otherwise, quince are hard, pawpaw are soft...

Were they ever planted for decoration? It was there when we moved into the house. The fruit was hard, looked like green misshapen pears.

a beautiful tree as an ornamental. Lush green leaves, full canopy, not too tall, keeps its leaves well into fall, thicker trunk, rarely has pests... whereas pawpaw can be gangly in a grove, and occasionally graceful as a mature tree if left by itself with some sun... but is dependent on ants and other weird pollinators for it to set fruit. Pawpaw has exquisite flowers though they smell like poop...

In Oklahoma, the term "pawpaw" (with that spelling) was very common, but I'm now wondering if that pronunciation is common moreso because of the fruit. Very interesting interview.

...Way down yonder in the paw paw patch.
Then you pick up paw paws 'n' put 'em in your pocket!

I'm tickled pink

That was awesome

people have told me i should grow some.

Which kind of limited the kind of industrialized mass-production agriculture commercial crops need.

Good for Ohio that they recognize the pawpaw! One small symbol of the good things that define the variety from state to state that makes life interesting and sometimes tasty

I do not ignore the Paw Paw. I teach "Paw Paw Patch", song and Play Party, every year in 3rd Grade. We always discuss what a Paw Paw is.