American Paw Paw Tree

Why American Paw Paw Trees?

Sweet, aromatic fruit that tastes like a cross between banana, mango, and Boston Cream Pie — and you can grow it right in your own backyard. This native North American tree bears large, custard-like fruit described as a soft blend of banana, melon, vanilla, and pineapple all in one, with a flavor and creaminess unlike anything else you'd grow in a home orchard.

The American Paw Paw is a genuinely cold-hardy tree, not a tropical one — it's native to the eastern United States and actually needs a minimum of 400 chill hours to flower and fruit well, tolerating temperatures down to -10°F. That's what makes it such an unusual find: tropical-tasting fruit from a tree built for cold winters. The Paw Paw is also naturally disease resistant, with few pest or disease problems to manage.

Thick, rich green leaves flood this mid-sized tree, and its pyramidal-shaped canopy with some lower limbs gives it a palm-like feel that stands out in a yard. In early spring, before the leaves emerge, it produces striking, unusual flowers — a deep maroon to purplish-brown, quite different from typical fruit tree blossoms — followed by large green fruit clinging to a thick trunk through summer. Come fall, the leaves turn a warm yellow before dropping for the season; this is a fully deciduous tree, going bare each winter rather than holding its leaves year-round.

As a natural understory tree, a young Paw Paw appreciates some partial shade while it establishes, but give it full sun as it matures for the best, most reliable fruiting. Plant it beneath taller shade trees or along a woodland edge for a naturalistic look, or as a standalone specimen in a sunnier spot once it's a few years old.

Why Trees.com?

Most fruit trees from chain retailers come bare-root, leaving up to 90% of their root system behind when you transplant. Your American Paw Paw from Trees.com arrives with its developed roots and branching intact, grown in nutrient-rich soil at our nursery for months ahead of shipping — so it's ready to establish in your yard, not recover from the move first.

Every tree we ship is backed by our Alive & Thrive Guarantee™, and our Plant Experts are ready to help with questions about pollination, siting, or sun needs as your Paw Paw settles in and matures.

Planting & Care

1. Planting: PYoung Paw Paws benefit from partial shade while they establish, but plan for full sun, 6 to 8 hours of direct light, as the tree matures for the best fruiting. Rich, deep, well-draining soil is ideal for new Paw Paws. 

2. Watering: Paw Paw Trees require adequate soil moisture, especially in the first two years after planting. Avoid over saturating and only water when soil is dry at least 1 to 2 inches down.

3. Fertilizing: For optimal growth and fruit production, fertilize twice each year with a well-balanced fertilizer such as a 20-10-10.

4. Pruning: The best time to prune is late winter or early spring when the tree is dormant. Annual pruning will stimulate new growth.

5. Harvesting: The Paw Paw will be ready to eat when it is easily plucked from the tree. Paw Paws that are too ripe can have an astringent taste, so don’t wait until they’ve fallen.