ANNONACEAE - - Custard-apple Family

Asimina triloba (Linnaeus) Dunal — Common Pawpaw

Common Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a shrub or small tree reaching a height of 40 ft. and a diameter of 12 to 18 in. The leaves are oblong or broadest above the middle, 6 to 12 in. long, entire on the margin, and smooth of both surfaces. The flowers are showy, purple, about 2 in. in diameter, with six petals. The fruit is an oblong to nearly cylindrical, yellow berry with white or yellowish flesh, rounded or pointed at the extremities, 3 to 5 in. long, 1 to 1 1/2 in. thick, containing several shiny, dark-brown, flattened seeds; the pulp (when yellow), sweet and edible. The flavor and texture is reminescent of a banana, hence another common name, Indian-banana. The bark is smooth like Beech Fagus grandifolia only not gray, but light tan to brown.

Habitat:

Deep, rich, moist soil along streams and in bottoms; usually an understory species in association with other hardwoods; in some localities, forming vast, dense thickets on moist bottom lands.

The native range of Asimina triloba (Common Pawpaw)

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)].

The Georgia range of Asimina triloba (Common Pawpaw)

Zomlefer, W.B., J.R. Carter, & D.E. Giannasi. 2014 (and ongoing). The Atlas of Georgia Plants. University of Georgia Herbarium (Athens, Georgia) and Valdosta State University Herbarium (Valdosta, Georgia). Available at: http://www.georgiaherbaria.org/.