Pawpaws

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Kentucky State University pawpaws

Peterson Pawpaws

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Cultivars

Allegany
1. Peterson Pawpaws
A Peterson Pawpaws selection. Introduced due to customer demand. Neal Peterson considers it smaller and seedier than he would normally accept.
Fruit: Usually less than 227 grams in size. Approximately 8% seeds by weight. "Flavor sweet, rich, a hint of citrus. Texture medium firm, smooth. Flesh color yellow."
Tree: Very productive tree. Must be thinned to keep fruit size up.

Atwood (KSU-Atwood)
1. Kentucky State University 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Released in 2009, it is the first release from the KSU breeding program, but actually originated in Maryland. Named for Rufus B. Atwood, a former president of Kentucky State University from 1929-1962, when it was still Kentucky State College.
Fruit: Medium-small sized round-shaped fruit averaging 120 g/ fruit. Flavor is described as an excellent mango flavor by Andrew Moore.
Tree: Productive, a typical tree will produce 150 fruit once it reaches full production. Very little Phyllosticta damage.

Davis
1. Reich, L. 2004. Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden. ISBN 0-88192-623-X
Selected from the wild in 1959.
Fruit: Mid-season to late (1st week of October in Michigan). Fruit is small, up to 113 g, 125 cm in length. Green skin when ripe.
Tree: Less vigorous than most. Variable production.

Ford Amend
1. Reich. 2004.
Originated in Oregon in 1950.
Fruit: Slightly smaller and earlier than 'Sunflower' (late September in Oregon); greenish yellow skin and orange flesh.

Greenriver Belle
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit. 2. Nolin River Nut Tree Nursery. 2014-2015 Catalog.
Originated as a wild tree found near in Hart County, KY, near the Green River. Selected by Carol Friedman.
Fruit: Somewhat seedy and does not keep well, but the favorite of folks near its origin. Distinctive flavor which some describe as a cinnamon-like aftertaste.
Tree: Resistant to Phyllosticta.

Halvin's Sidewinder
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Originated as a wild tree found by the Tyler and Danae Halvin in Iowa.
Fruit: Reported to be the largest pawpaw in southwestern Iowa, up to 397 grams.

Kentucky Champion
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Discovered in 2009 in Madison County, Kentucky.
Fruit: A little over 8% seeds. Skin resistant to bruising. Pulp firm and golden-orange. Flavor described as melon-orange with notes of pineapple or raspberry.

Lynn's Favorite
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Originated in Corwin Davis' orchard in Michigan. Won Best Fruit award in 2014 at the Ohio Pawpaw Festival.
Fruit: Ripens in mid-October in Michigan. Yellow flesh, with thin, smooth skin.
Tree: Productive and annual bearing. Resistant to Phyllosticta.

Mango
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit. 2. Anton Callaway, personal observations
Discovered in 1970 in Tifton, Georgia by Major C. Collins.
Fruit: Ripens in mid-August in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. Medium-large size (about 110 grams on my tree in the Piedmont of North Carolina, albeit on poor soil-ASC). Low seed to flesh ratio. Does not keep well. Flavor reported to be like mango, but it's just a good classic custardy pawpaw flavor to me (Anton).
Tree: Notably fast-growing and early producing. Vigorous tree. Leaves slightly smaller than many cultivars.

Maria's Joy
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Davis x Prolific hybrid made by Jerry Lehman of Terre Haute, Indiana. Won Best Fruit at 2012 Ohio Pawpaw Festival.
Fruit: Excellent flavor.

Mary Foos Johnson
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Discovered in Kansas in the wild by Milo Gibson. Donated to North Willamette Experiment Station in Aurora, OR by Mary Foos Johnson.
Fruit: Mid-season-late (1st week of October in Michigan). Up to 230 grams per fruit. Skin and flesh yellow when ripe. Relatively few seeds.

Mitchell
1. Reich. 2004.
Originated in Illinois.
Fruit: Midseason. Medium to large oval to round fruits. Excellent flavor, better than Overleese in Mr. Reich's estimation. Yellow skin and golden flesh.
Tree: Average productivity.

NC-1
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Selected in Ontario in 1976 from a cross of Davis X Overleese made by R. Douglas Campbell.
Fruit: Ripens mid-September in Ontario, early September in Kentucky. Large fruit- 180-570 grams/ fruit. Few seeds. Yellow skin and buttery yellow flesh. Very good flavor.
Tree: Very vigorous and ornamental with large, blue-green leaves. Somewhat less productive than some others. Recommended for both Southern and Northern areas. About 45 fruit/ tree at Kentucky State University trials.

Nyomi's Delicious
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Originated in Berea, KY and reported to be a local favorite, although I never heard of it while I was at school there.
Fruit: light yellow fruit hangs in clusters of 4-5 with each fruit 4-6 inches long and weighing 283-340 grams. Flavor has no bitter aftertaste.

Overleese
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
Discovered in Indiana about 1950 by W.B. Ward of Rushville, Indiana. Won Best Fruit at the Ohio Pawpaw Festival in 2011.
Fruit: Ripens mid-September at Kentucky State, and first week of October in Michigan. Similar to 'Davis' according to Reich. Large seeds, but few of them. Excellent flavor. Borne in clusters of 3-6; size is variable; flesh is yellow to orange and skin is green even when ripe. Reich reports that the skin does not darken when ripe, but Moore quotes other sources who say it gets better when the skin darkens- at that point taking on a butterscoth flavor. Over 170 grams/ fruit and approximately 55 fruit per tree according to KSU.

PA Golden
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Actually there are four PA-Golden cultivars, numbered 1-4. All originated in New York in 1972 as selections by John Gordon of Amherst, NY. PA- Golden#1 is the PA Golden typically sold, but Moore cites Ron Powell's opinion that PAG#3 is the best because it is larger and more attractive and is more tolerant of Phyllosticta. Ancestry may go back to George A. Zimmerman's collection.
Fruit: Ripens mid-September in New York. Yellow skin and golden flesh. Flavor excellent.
Tree: Winter-hardy.

Potomac
1. http://www.petersonpawpaws.com/Potomac.php 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
A selection by Neal Peterson made at the Blandy Experimental Farm in Virginia.
Fruit: Late ripening, too late for Michigan. Large, averaging 235 grams/ fruit and ranging to over 800 grams. 4% seeds by weight. "Flavor sweet and rich. Texture firm, melting, smooth. Flesh color medium yellow."
Tree: Approximately 45 fruit per tree at KSU. Susceptible to Phyllosticta, which causes fruit to split in humid climates.

Prolific
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
Selected by near Bellevue, Michigan in the mid-1980's by Corwin Davis.
Fruit: Ripens over a long period. Keeps moderately well. Ripe fruit has light green skin and yellow flesh of very good quality. Flesh is uniquely dense. Sometimes has a bitter aftertaste. Medium size.
Tree: Vigorous. Medium to high productivity as the name suggests.

Quaker Select
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
Found by Dick Glaser in the arboretum of Wilmington College, Ohio. Won an award at the 2003 Ohio Pawpaw Festival for best flavor.
Fruit: Ripens early September (where?). Mild flavor. Creamy texture. Light colored flesh.

Rappanhannock
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Peterson Pawpaws
A selection from Peterson Pawpaws in West Virginia.
Fruit: Ripens mid-season (1st half of September in Maryland). Uniform medium size, averaging 198 grams. Fruit borne in clusters of three or fewer. High flesh to seed ratio with only 3% seeds. Firm flesh. Pale yellow-green skin over yellow flesh.
Tree: Foliage less drooping than most, which makes it easier to find the fruit. Large blossoms. Tends to grow vertically. Prune off excessive vertical growth to keep tree managable.

Rebecca's Gold
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
Originated in California in 1970, according to Reich, but Moore states that the seed came from Corwin Davis and was selected in Bellevue, Michigan by J.M. Riley in 1974.
Fruit: Kidney-shaped; 85-180 grams per fruit, although occasionally wil produce very large specimens, up to 450 grams; yellow flesh. Very thin skin. Described as a good-tasting, very sweet fruit with texture so soft that if the fruit is allowed to drop on its own, it will be mush.

SAA-Overleese
1. Reich. 2004.
Originated in New York in 1982.
Fruit: Ripens in mid-October in New York. Fruit has green skin, even when ripe and yellow flesh with few seeds. Large fruit is approximately 283 grams per fruit.

SAA-Zimmerman
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
Originated in New York in 1982 from a seed from G.A. Zimmerman and selected by John Gordon of Amherst, NY.
Fruit: Ripens in late September in New York. Fruit has yellow skin flesh when ripe with few seeds. Fruit is approximately 170-230 grams per fruit.

Shenandoah
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit 3. Peterson Pawpaws
Originated in Maryland. A Peterson Pawpaws selection made in ???? from an Overleese seed.
Fruit: Late season (mid-September in Maryland and Kentucky). Large, averaging 150-255 grams (Moore & Reich, respectively). Pale green skin when ripe, with creamy-yellow flesh with a low percentage of seeds. Ripens in clusters of one to three fruits. Flavor is mild and luscious with firm custard-like flesh. A mild flavor that is appealing to many, including those who are trying pawpaws for the first time. Neal Peterson states that it is the clear favorite among pawpaw customers at the Dupont Circle farmers market in Washington, DC. 6-7% seeds by weight.
Tree: Productive, about 80 fruit per tree in Kentucky State University trials. Only slightly susceptible to Phyllosticta.

Sue
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Introduced by Don Munich from Southern Indiana.
Fruit: Small to medium size. Mild flavor. Very soft and thin-skinned.
Tree: Productive with good resistance to Phyllosticta.

Summer Delight
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit.
Fruit: Earliest cultivar in Kentucky, ripening at the end of July to the first of August. 227-340 grams per fruit. Yellowish, thick skin, ships and stores well. Delicious flavor, described as having a melon aftertaste.
Tree: Slow to come into bearing, at least 4-5 years.

Sunflower
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
Discovered in Kansas, near Chanute around 1970 by Milo Gibson. Won the Best Fruit award at the 2006 and 2010 Ohio Pawpaw Festival.
Fruit: Ripens late (first week of October in Michigan). Weighs 225-450 grams (almost a pound) according to Reich, and has few seeds. Moore cites KSU as saying the size is more like 155 grams per fruit. Flavor is rated as excellent by Reich, others report a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Tree: Moderate vigor and reliable production. KSU reports about 75 fruit per tree. Spreading tree shape, rather than tall. Seedlings of Sunflower have been reported to make especially strong rootstock.
Flowers: Reported to be self-fertile.

Susquehanna
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Peterson Pawpaws
A Peterson Pawpaws selection from a seedling at the Blandy Experimental Farm in Virginia and Neal Peterson's favorite, according to his Web entry.
Fruit: Mid-late season (around September 21 in Maryland). Among the largest pawpaws, averaging 312 grams per fruit according to Reich. Yellowish-green, thick skin when ripe. Flesh is firm and smooth. Borne in clusters of one to five fruits. Has a very low percentage of seeds, about 3%. Flavor is very sweet and rich, too rich for some palates. Ships well.
Tree: Leaves have a slight pucker. Moderate to good productivity and responds well to pruning according to Peterson.

Tallahatchie
1. Peterson Pawpaws
A Peterson Pawpaws selection that I first noticed in 2020, but it probably was released a little before then. It's main claim-to-fame seems to be its taste. It's described on his website (which see) as:
"Good yields, fruit medium to large.
Exquisite taste – sweet, perfect balance of flavors
Texture smooth and silky
Fleshy – roughly 6% seed
Ripens midseason
Responds well to pruning"

Taylor (Taylor 1)
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
Originated in Michigan in 1967 (1968 according to Moore) as a wild selection near Eaton Rapids by Corwin Davis.
Fruit: Ripens first week of October in Michigan and September in Kentucky. Medium size, averaging 110 g/fruit according to KSU. Borne in clusters of up to seven fruit. Green skin with yellow flesh when ripe. Similar to 'Davis' in ripening, color and size, but Reich reports that it has a better flavor.
Tree: KSU reports productivity of about 70 fruits per tree.
Flowers: Possibly self-fertile.

Taytwo (Taytoo)
1. Reich. 2004. 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
Also originated in Michigan in 1967 (1968 according to Moore) as a wild selection near Eaton Rapids by Corwin Davis.
Fruit: Late-ripening. Medium-sized, 120 g/fruit at KSU; Light green when ripe with yellow flesh. Keeps well. Flavor is excellent.
Tree: Moderate vigor. Shy to prolific bearing reported. KSU reports 75 fruit per tree. Some report that it is precocious.

Wabash
1. Peterson Pawpaws 2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
A Peterson Pawpaws selection from the Blandy Experimental Farm in Virginia. Neal Peterson reports that Dr. Kirk Pomper, who heads the KSU Pawpaw research program, insisted that he release this cultivar.
Fruit: 170-340 grams. 6% seeds. Excellent, sweet, rich flavor. Medium-firm texture, smooth, creamy yellow-orange flesh. Fruit cracks in some years.
Tree: Productive. Difficult to grow and graft. Slow to begin bearing.

Wells
1. Reich. 2004.
Originated in Indiana in 1960. Winner of the 1990 contest sponsored by Kentucky State University for the largest pawpaw.
Fruit: Very large, weighing up to 397 grams. Green skin and yellow flesh when ripe.

Zimmerman
1. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit
Selected by George Slate in New York from a seed from George A. Zimmerman
Fruit: Medium-sized at KSU.

Minor (Extinct?) Cultivars

Buckman
1. Reich. 2004.
Fruit: Late-ripening season. White flesh with a mild flavor.

Dr. Potter
1. Reich. 2004.
Originated in Indiana. Released in 1917 or earlier.
Fruit: Late-ripening season; small, yellow fruit that ships fairly well.

Fairchild
1. Reich. 2004.
Considered to be the best cultivar by Dr. G.A. Zimmerman. Seedling of 'Ketter'.
Fruit: Early-ripening.

Ketter
1. Reich. 2004.
Originated in Ohio as the winner of the American Genetics Society's 1916 contest for the best pawpaw fruit. Considered to be second in quality only to its offspring, 'Fairchild', by Dr. G.A. Zimmerman.
Fruit: Early-ripening. Large fruit with yellow flesh and a mild, but not insipid flavor. Skin yellow and tough.

Martin
1. Reich. 2004.
Originated in Ohio.
Fruit: Variably described as large and good quality or small and poorly-flavored. Yellow flesh.
Tree: Cold-resistant.

Sweet Alice
1. Reich. 2004.
Fruit: Large with good flavor.

Uncle Tom
1. Reich. 2004.
Originated in Indiana sometime near the end of the 1800's. Uncle Tom is the first named pawpaw cultivar.
Fruit: Borne singly or in pairs.

Photos:
Early stage pawpaw blooms
Mid-season pawpaw leaves

References:
1. Reich, Lee. 2004. Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden. Pawpaws. ISBN 0-88192-623-X
2. Andrew Moore. 2015. Pawpaw. In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit. [I highly recommend this book if you are interested in pawpaws. -ASC]
3. Peterson Pawpaws. Neal Peterson. http://www.petersonpawpaws.com/

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