How to grow Pawpaw?

All types of pawpaw fruit trees require warm to hot summer weather, mild to cold winters and consistent rainfall throughout the year. They thrive in USDA zones 5-8 and can be found growing wild from south of New England, north of Florida and as far west as Nebraska. Pawpaw trees are on the small side for fruit trees, about 15-20 feet (4.5-6 m.) in height. Although naturally they have a bushy, suckering habit, they can be pruned and trained into a single trunk, pyramid-shaped tree. Because the fruit is too soft and perishable for shipping, pawpaw is not commercially grown and marketed. Pawpaw trees have significant resistance to pests, as their leaves and twigs contain a natural pesticide. This natural pesticide also seems to deter browsing animals such as deer. The flavor of pawpaw fruit is said to be like a blend of mango, pineapple and banana – a veritable potpourri of tropical fruit and is, in fact, often called the ‘banana of the north.’ While most people enjoy the flavor of pawpaw fruit, some apparently have an adverse reaction to ingesting it, resulting in stomach and intestinal pain.