Pawpaw Tree

Highlights

Why are pawpaw trees not everywhere? These trees make North America’s largest edible fruit! The fruit has the consistency and shape of a mango and tastes like a pineapple crossed with a banana. They are also stunning year-round. In the spring, pawpaws flower with dramatic dark blossoms that look like Tim Burton movie props. In the fall, what was once flowers turns into edible fruit as the leaves turn bright yellow. You’ll need to plant two for fruit—scroll on more planting tips.

Let’s start our love letter to pawpaws with a basic question:

What are the benefits of planting a pawpaw tree?

Pawpaw trees has grown in North America for thousands of years. Any plant or tree that has existed in an area for this long is considered a native plant. Every storm, drought, flood, blizzard, and normal sunny day in their region they have lived through. Native plants are made to thrive in their home areas.

Planting native plants and trees—like the pawpaw—is important for many reasons, including:

• Native plants give butterflies, pollinators, and birds the food and homes they need to survive. The pawpaw tree is the host plant for the stunning zebra swallowtail butterfly (more on this, below)
• Native plants are made to thrive in their home areas; once they are established, they thrive with normal rainfall
• Native plants are gorgeous. As you’ll see in the following images, pawpaws look beautiful throughout the seasons.

And one more amazing benefit…🦋

Pawpaw trees are the host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly

Zebra swallowtail butterflies only lay their eggs on pawpaw trees. As seen above, you absolutely want to be a part of keeping this magnificent creature alive. This dedicated butterfly-and-plant relationship makes the pawpaw the host plant for zebra swallowtails.

Said simply, without pawpaw trees, there will be no zebra swallowtail butterflies. (If you are feeling like The Very Hungry Caterpillar got us all off on the wrong foot since kindergarten, thinking caterpillars ate all leaves…well, we agree with you. Here’s a short overview of host plants.)

Zebra swallowtails need pawpaws to make a comeback

While zebra swallowtails aren’t endangered like monarch butterflies, they’ve become increasingly rare in many areas where they were once common.

Recent sightings in Pittsburgh, after 87 years, show their return is possible—thanks in part to homeowners planting pawpaw trees. One homeowner even documented growing pawpaws and raising zebra swallowtails on Instagram, proudly becoming a “Butterfly Daddy” to the species. What we plant matters!

Pawpaw trees through the seasons

As the seasons change, the pawpaw tree transforms like a chameleon. Here is a quick overview on what to expect, starting in the spring:

Spring

Pawpaw trees’ flowers are unlike anything else in the garden. Their dark crimson blooms look like Gothic sculptures.

Summer

In the summer, pawpaw trees’ green canopy provides shade as the flowers drop and fruits grow.

Summer is also for zebra swallowtail caterpillars

Once the leaves appear, it’s time for zebra swallowtail caterpillars. Watch for them snacking and building their cocoons in the summer and early fall.

Fall

In the fall, the fruits ripen, and the leaves turn a buttery yellow. Fruit peaks in September and October. As winter begins, the leaves fall, and the tree takes a nap until it’s time to put out its crimson blooms again in the spring.

Now that we’ve gotten to know the plant and said the word ‘pawpaw’ two dozen times, you’re probably wondering:

Where did the name pawpaw come from?

The name “pawpaw” has its origins in the indigenous Taíno language, dating back thousands of years. According to botanist José Hormaza, the name comes from a fateful combination of the Taíno language with Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto’s 16th-century expedition:

“Apparently, the name pawpaw was given to the tree by members of the de Soto expedition for its resemblance to the fruits of the tropical fruit papaya that they already knew, papaya being a Spanish word derived from the Taíno word papaina.” (Source)

(And yes—we’re talking about that Hernando de Soto, which you may remember from elementary school Social Studies. De Soto explored North America from 1539 to 1543.)

To recap:

• The Taíno were a historic indigenous people of the Caribbean.
• Their word for papaya fruit was papaina.
• Spanish colonists applied this word to another fruit they found hundreds of miles away in North America.
• Centuries of usage changed papaina to pawpaw.

What an American name—something that combines indigenous language with colonialism, alongside a game of telephone over the centuries.

Other words we use to trace back to the Taíno people. According to the Smithsonian, “If you have ever paddled a canoe, napped in a hammock, savored a barbecue, smoked tobacco, or tracked a hurricane across Cuba, you have paid tribute to the Taíno, the Native people who invented those words long before Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World in 1492.” The entire Smithsonian article on Taíno history is well worth reading.

Here are other FAQs, before we get into planting and sourcing tips:

Where pawpaw trees shine in your yard

The pawpaw prefers moist, well-drained soil and partial shade (stay away from full, blasting sun). This is because pawpaws are understory trees, which are smaller trees that grow beneath larger native behemoth trees like tulip poplars. Think of them like petite trees that snuggle up next to their taller tree siblings in the forest for protection; they need a little shade.

If you want fruit (and who doesn’t?), you’ll need to plant two

Pawpaw trees need cross-pollination to bear fruit, which means you’ll need to plant at least two trees.

How to plant pawpaw trees

Planting trees is so easy! You can absolutely do it yourself, no landscaper needed. All you need is a shovel, a bag of compost, and the hose. That’s it! Here’s how to plant your pawpaw:

1. Find a healthy pawpaw sapling from a reputable nursery; our list of native nurseries makes this easy
2. Dig a hole twice as wide and deep as the root ball
3. Mix some compost into the soil you’ve just removed and put some back into the hole
4. Place your tree in the hole, adding soil until the stem starts at ground level (you may need to remove the tree and add more dirt until it’s right)
5. Backfill the hole, gently firming the soil around the roots with your feet
6. Add a layer of mulch to retain moisture; arrange the mulch so it makes a little bowl around the tree’s stem (make sure the mulch does NOT touch the stem; this can rot the tree stem)
7. Time to water! Give it a deep soak; the goal is to soak the roots
8. Keep an eye on your tree, watering it regularly during its first year, and be patient as it establishes itself

What are good pawpaw pairings?

There are so many native plants that look gorgeous and pair nicely with pawpaw trees. Some favorites include:

Where can I buy a pawpaw tree?

Finding native trees and plants can be a little challenging. Conventional nurseries (and especially big-box stores) typically only carry a few coneflowers or heucheras when it comes to native plants.

Look elsewhere to find a pawpaw! Here are four tried-and-true sources for finding pawpaws to plant (and remember: plant at least two for fruit.)

Congratulations! You’re ready to get planting a few native pawpaw trees. With its ever-changing beauty, delicious fruit, and zebra swallowtail nursery abilities, this tree helps turn your garden into a fruit-filled oasis. Gardening doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Planting native is much less work than lawns or non-native gardening. May pawpaw trees become cherished and tasty additions to your outdoor space. Head over to our plant profile on highbush blueberries or hackberries if you’re looking to plant a fruit-salad-worthy native garden. Or help the butterflies by planting more host plants. Happy planting!

Explore host plants

• Umbrella Magnolia
• Little Bluestem
• Viburnums
• Arrowwood Viburnum
• Coneflowers
• False Blue Indigo
• Dogwoods
• Witch Hazels
• Serviceberry

Written by

Emily Lessard

Founder & Editor, The Plant Native

Emily Lessard is the founder and editor of The Plant Native, the site that helps homeowners across North America get started with native plants. She holds a Sustainable Landscapes certificate through the Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association, is finishing a Native Perennial Garden Design Certificate at Temple University, and is the author of Plant Native: A Practical Guide to Over 100 Native Plants of North America (Quarto, March 2027). She gardens outside Philadelphia in the 8.3 Southeastern Plains ecoregion.

Meet Emily

Updated July 4, 2026Find more: Red · Deer Resistant · Edible · Historic · Tree · Spring · Part Sun · Full Shade · Host Plant

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