This is a native plant, but it is not available in the 2026 Wild Ones plant sale.
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Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
TreePawpaw
Asimina triloba
Tap to flip backGrowing Conditions
Light
Part Sun – Shade
Water
Moist – Medium
Soil
Loam
Size
15-30'
Bloom
Maroon/Purple, Apr–May
Why Grow It
Caterpillar Host
Feeds caterpillars of native moths & butterflies
Shade Tolerant
Grows well in partial to full shade
Did You Know?
Produces the largest native fruit in North America — tastes like banana-mango custard!
Pollinated by flies and beetles, not bees — flowers even smell slightly like rotting meat to attract them.
Sole host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly — found only where pawpaws grow.
Wildlife Value
🦋
Zebra Swallowtail Host
The only host plant for the beautiful Zebra Swallowtail butterfly
🦝
Fruit for Wildlife
Raccoons, opossums, and foxes eat the ripe fruit in fall
Good Companions
🌸 Spicebush
🌿 Wild Ginger
⭐ Maidenhair Fern
Planting Guide
- Plant in part shade (full shade when young) in moist, rich, well-drained soil
- Plant two genetically different trees within 30″ for cross-pollination
- Protect young trees from sun and wind; they naturally grow as understory trees
Plant Details
Made with ♥ by Lu Li