Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is North America's largest native edible fruit, a perennial understory tree producing custard-like fruit tasting of banana-mango. Suitable for Zones 5-8 with adequate frost-free days and chill; low-input crop needing cross-pollination.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Growing Season
- Plant
- Early spring (dormant, after budbreak) – Early spring (dormant, after budbreak)
- Harvest
- Sep-Oct – Sep-Oct
- Frost-free days
- 160+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 2,600
Yield
- Typical yield
- 9,000 lbs/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 30 years
- Years to full prod.
- 5
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
Limited or developing buyer network in this region
Price Trend Stable/Up
Price trending upward due to growing demand
Supply Below Demand
Strong unmet demand regionally and nationally
Multiple Buyer Channels
Limited market channels; primarily single outlet
Value-Added Potential
Strong value-added potential through processing, direct sales, or specialty products
Market Growth Projected
Strong market growth projected
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Region's hardiness zone within crop range (5.0-8.0)
GDD Sufficient
Regional GDD (2600) meets crop requirement (2600)
Precipitation Compatible
Regional precipitation (~40 in/yr) compatible with crop needs
Frost-Free Season OK
Frost-free season (160 days) meets crop requirement (160 days)
Chill Hours Met
Regional chill hours (1100) meet crop requirement (90+)
Climate Trend Favorable
Climate projections remain favorable for this crop in the region
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
Some specialized equipment needed but adaptable from existing vineyard infrastructure
Storage Available
Specialized or limited storage; perishable product needs immediate handling
Irrigation Compatible
Low water needs or rain-fed viable
Field Layout Suitable
Vineyard field layouts suitable for this crop
Labor Availability
Labor needs manageable with existing farm workforce
Processing Proximity
No nearby specialized processing; may need direct marketing or shipping
Equipment Requirements
planting
For establishing container-grown trees at 6–10 ft in-row spacing with rows 15–20 ft apart.
Deep tree-pot containers accommodate pawpaw’s taproot when raising seedlings for grafting/transplanting.
general
Seedlings and grafted trees under 24 in. benefit from shading during the establishment year; suspend 33% shade cloth on supports.
Central-leader training in the first years is critical for canopy light; later remove crossing/rubbing limbs.
Soil test before establishment and correct deficiencies; target pH 5.5–6.5 with annual N at ~100 lb/acre.
irrigation
Pawpaws are not drought tolerant; supply 1–2 in. water/week via drip on either side of the trunk or microsprinkler over the root zone.
spraying
Maintain a 3–4 ft weed-free band; shield trunks and remove suckers before postemergent herbicide application to avoid systemic uptake.
cultivation
A 3–4 ft weed-free band on either side of trees can be maintained with mulch or weed-barrier fabric instead of tillage (roots are shallow).
harvesting
Fruit skin is delicate and bruises easily; pick when flesh first softens and check trees daily during harvest.
post_harvest
Refrigerate as soon as possible after harvest to avoid fermentation and browning; quality still declines after a few weeks.
A fruit pulper removes seeds and skin before storing frozen pulp for ice cream, smoothies, beer and baked goods.
Storage Requirements
Fresh cold storage
Temperature
39–41°F
Humidity
85–95%
Max Storage
21 days
Ambient short-term display
Temperature
60–72°F
Humidity
60–80%
Max Storage
3 days
Frozen pulp
Temperature
-10–0°F
Max Storage
365 days
Finance Fit
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue ($36,000/acre) exceeds regional average
Input Costs Acceptable
Input costs are low to moderate
Payback Period OK
Long establishment period (5 years); extended payback
Insurance Available
No federal crop insurance; NAP may be available for some disaster scenarios
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Labor-intensive; revenue per labor hour may be modest
Grants/Subsidies
Grant and subsidy programs available (Specialty Crop Block Grant, EQIP, Beginning Farmer, etc.)
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | $4/per lb |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $4,200 |
| Annual Operating Cost | —/acre |
| Establishment Cost | $25,000/acre |
| Total Input Cost | —/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | -$2,000 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | — |
| Crop Insurance | Not available |
Source: University of Kentucky Center for Crop Diversification — Pawpaw (2025)
Risk Fit
Manageable Pest/Disease
Low pest/disease pressure; manageable with standard IPM
Market Diversified
Market access diversified across multiple channels
Low Establishment Risk
Moderate establishment risk; manageable with planning
Climate Resilient
Hardy and resilient to climate variability in the region
Regulatory Burden Low
Minimal regulatory burden for production and sale
Diversifies Portfolio
Diversifies farm revenue away from grape monoculture
Known Risks
disease
Fungal leaf-spot complex on leaves and fruit; begins as tan spots with brown borders that develop into dark brown to black lesions and can crack open, damaging fruit. Favored by extended leaf wetness.
Oak root rot fungus reported as a devastating disease of mature plantings, killing established trees.
Superficial fungal blemish appearing as sooty black blotches on fruit surface during warm, humid, rainy periods; mostly cosmetic.
pest
Tortricid moth whose larval stage burrows into flower peduncles, stems and roots, destroying large numbers of flowers and reducing fruit set.
Larvae tie leaves together with webbing and feed within; infested foliage eventually dies.
Adults emerge in late spring and skeletonize foliage over a 4–6 week feeding period.
Vinegar fly that can infest ripening/soft fruit; one of several secondary fruit pests of pawpaw.
weather
Blooms are vulnerable to late spring frost, especially in low-lying frost pockets, which can kill flowers and eliminate a fruit crop.
environmental
Deer will not browse leaves or twigs (acetogenins deter them) but will consume fallen fruit and can damage trunks by rubbing.
market
Markets are limited (though expected to grow) and fruit is highly perishable at room temperature, lasting only a few days, which constrains fresh distribution.
regulatory
Selling frozen pulp or value-added products requires compliance with local health regulations.
Nutritional Yield
Macronutrients
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per acre |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 1.2 g | 23,512 g |
| Fiber | 3.3 g | 67,358 g |
Key micronutrients
Uncertainty: Per-acre values are estimates that compound the yield range, edible-fraction assumption, and a single representative nutrient panel. Treat them as order-of-magnitude planning numbers, not nutritional advice. Confidence: high.
Ecosystem Services
Biodiversity
- Sole larval host for the zebra swallowtail butterflyhigh
Pawpaw is the obligate host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus); acetogenins in the leaves protect the larvae from bird predation.
Applies when: native butterfly present in regionEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: high - Agroforestry understory component and wildlife foodmoderate
Suited to agroforestry systems as a partial understory tree (compatible even under black walnut); provides wildlife food and is not preferred browse for goats and other herbivores.
Applies when: agroforestry / mixed native plantingsEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: medium
Erosion control
- Riparian buffer and streambank stabilizationmoderate
Naturally found along stream banks and in forest groves; works well as a riparian buffer tree, helping stabilize soils near waterways.
Applies when: riparian or buffer plantingsEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: high
Pollinator support
- Forage for fly and beetle pollinatorslow
Flowers are pollinated by flies and beetles (lady beetles, nitidulid beetles, bottle flies, march flies), supporting saprophytic and generalist pollinator guilds rather than bees.
Applies when: floweringEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: high
Soil health
- Arbuscular mycorrhizal associationslow
Increasing soil organic matter at planting encourages associations with arbuscular mycorrhizae that improve nutrient uptake.
Applies when: organic matter added at establishmentEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: medium
Nearby Buyers
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Data sourced from Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA resources, and regional research.
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie View economics source →
68 tracked changes across 10 data categories