Growing pawpaw

berry / bush fruit

Pollination

Self-incompatible - you must plant two genetically different pawpaws. Flowers are fly- and beetle-pollinated, so hand-pollination often helps.

Growing it

Zones 5-8. North America's largest native fruit; young trees need shade for the first year or two, then full sun. Fruit does not ship or store.

Will you get enough chill?

Pawpaw needs roughly 400–1000 hours between 32 and 45 °F over winter to break dormancy evenly. Check your area with the chill hours calculator. Low-chill breeding has pushed many varieties well below the figure here, so read the plant tag.

Chill and pollination are given at the fruit-type level; specific cultivars can differ. Values are typical ranges for home-garden planning.