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Pawpaw

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Muskyman:
Pretty much all of the ones I’ve gotten are from shaking the trees. I’ll leave them alone for a while and let them fall. I’m guessing the ones I have will ripen in the fridge?

Pat B:
Does anyone know what pollinates pawpaws? My stands(2) of pawpaws, probably 20 years old, flowers every spring but has never had fruit.
 Someone once told me that blow flies pollinate them and to throw a dead coon or possum into the clump but not only my dog but bears would love it if I did. I need a better solution.

sleek:

--- Quote from: Pat B on September 17, 2025, 04:37:34 pm ---Does anyone know what pollinates pawpaws? My stands(2) of pawpaws, probably 20 years old, flowers every spring but has never had fruit.
 Someone once told me that blow flies pollinate them and to throw a dead coon or possum into the clump but not only my dog but bears would love it if I did. I need a better solution.

--- End quote ---

Make a fly trap and hang it from the tree, high up, that will attract the flies, but render the fly trap inert by putting lots of holes in it so the flies can escape.

Muskyman:
I read flies, ants and beetles. Also read you need 2 completely different trees in order for them to pollinate. I’m not sure but I’m guessing it’s 2 trees that are from different plants and not from the same root system. Just stuff I have read online, for what it’s worth.
 On another note, I went out into the woods behind my house because I was hearing someone running a chainsaw. As I was walking around out there I started seeing pawpaw trees all over the place.
I collected 4 fruits and left. I been living here for 30 plus years and never knew they were out there.. Funny what you see when you look around.

Pat B
Here’s some stuff I found online
Pawpaw flowers are pollinated by various flies, beetles, and other crawling insects attracted to their slightly sweet scent, which can be confused with rotting meat. Bees are not effective pawpaw pollinators. Since pawpaw trees are not self-fertile and require cross-pollination between genetically different trees for fruit production, hand-pollination with a soft brush or cotton swab is a common practice to ensure fruit set, especially for growers.
Pawpaw Pollinators
Flies: Various types of flies, including houseflies and blowflies, are attracted to the flowers and can help spread pollen.
Beetles: Different beetle species also play a role as natural pollinators for pawpaw trees.
Other Insects: Other small insects that are drawn to the flower's scent contribute to the pollination process.
Why Pollination is Challenging
Protogyny: Pawpaw flowers are protogynous, meaning the female and male parts of the flower mature at different times. Flowers first act as female and then later become male, requiring pollen from a different tree.
Ineffective Natural Pollinators: While flies and beetles pollinate pawpaw trees, they are generally inefficient at it.
How to Hand-Pollinate Pawpaws
Identify Flower Stages: You need to collect pollen from a male flower (which is dark-colored and has a swollen stigma) and transfer it to a female flower (which is green and has a small opening) on a different, genetically distinct tree.
Collect Pollen: Use a soft, flexible brush or cotton swab to collect pollen from the mature male flower.
Transfer Pollen: Gently swirl the brush inside the receptive stigma of the female flower, ensuring it is coated thoroughly with pollen.
Tips for Success
Multiple Trees: You must have at least two genetically different pawpaw trees for successful cross-pollination.
Warm Weather: Pollination is more effective during warm, calm, shirtsleeve weather.
Patience: Hand-pollination requires patience, but it's a relatively simple technique to improve your chances of getting fruit.

JW_Halverson:
Pawpaws and persimmons, two native fruits I'd love to try!

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