Growing the American Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) in New Zealand

The American pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a remarkable fruit tree native to North America, prized for its unique, tropical flavour despite its high cold tolerance. Often described as the most “tropical-tasting” fruit that can grow in temperate climates, it thrives in much of New Zealand when planted in the right conditions.

Flavour and Appeal

Pawpaw fruit has a custard-like texture and a sweet, complex flavour usually compared to a mix of banana, mango, and pineapple. The exact taste can vary between trees, but most seedlings from good parent stock produce excellent fruit. It is one of the few truly exotic-tasting fruits that can handle New Zealand’s colder winters, making it both unusual and rewarding to grow.

Time to Fruiting

Trees grown from seed generally begin producing fruit after 5–7 years. While this may seem a long wait, the trees will be strong enough to produce a lot of fruit by then.

Pollination

For reliable crops, at least two trees should be planted to allow for cross-pollination. A single tree may set some fruit, but yields will usually be limited. Planting a pair or more ensures much heavier and more consistent harvests. You can pair any of our seedlings, but ensure if buying grafted that you have another seedling or another distinct grafted variety.

Growing Conditions

American pawpaw is best suited to planting directly in the ground, where it can establish its deep taproot and grow into a strong, long-lived tree. It prefers soil that drains reasonably well but can tolerate heavier soils, including clay, once established. Young trees benefit from shelter and shade in their first couple of years, as they naturally grow under forest canopies. As they mature, however, they will crop more heavily with good sun exposure.

Cold Tolerance

Pawpaw is extremely hardy. The trees drop their leaves and go dormant in winter, and they actually require a small period of winter chill in order to set fruit. While they perform exceptionally well in cooler regions, productive trees are also grown in northern areas such as Northland, provided they receive seasonal variation. They thrive with cold winters and hot summers.

Maintenance

American pawpaw trees naturally form an upright, pyramidal shape and generally require very little pruning. If shaping or size control is desired, pruning should be carried out during winter dormancy. Apart from this, they are relatively low-maintenance and reward growers with both ornamental appeal and delicious fruit.

Check out our select seedlings of the best KSU and Peterson varieties. They don’t always grow true to type but we believe these are the best possible genetics to start with and should produce excellent quality fruit!

Pictured: Pawpaw fruit grown in Hamilton, New Zealand.