Fall harvest — Pennsylvania-grown pawpaws, picked at peak ripeness for seed extraction
Grown in Pennsylvania
Fully stratified · Ready to plant · Susquehanna & Allegheny cultivars
Hand-harvested last September. Kept in optimal conditions all winter — ready to go in the ground now.
Susquehanna, Allegheny, and robust naturally born varieties. Diverse genetics, diverse flavors.
Orders ship late March through May. Seeds packed in moist medium to stay viable in transit.
The pawpaw is North America's largest native fruit — custard-sweet, almost tropical, and rarely found in stores. Ripe fruit falls September through October. Each fruit holds 6–12 seeds.
Our seeds come from mature trees in southeastern Pennsylvania, selected for fruit size and flavor over multiple seasons.
Unlock the potential of your garden with our fully stratified pawpaw seeds, ready for planting immediately. Handpicked and carefully stored since last September, these seeds promise a fruitful and rewarding gardening experience.
10 seeds per pack · Shipping included · Limited spring availability
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Native to North America, the pawpaw thrives in USDA zones 5–8. Despite its tropical look, this hardy tree handles moderately cold winters. Versatile and resilient — it graces almost any landscape with its umbrella-shaped canopy.
Pawpaw trees can be container-planted for a manageable look. Find an area with full to partial sun — no more than 5 hours of indirect afternoon sunlight daily. Use a deep container (twice the root ball size) with drainage holes. Because pawpaws develop a deep taproot, depth matters. Dispose of any standing water to avoid fungal growth.
Note: Hand pollination required indoors — pawpaws are not self-fertile.
Leave 15–25 feet of space between trees and other structures. Find an area with partial sunlight and well-drained soil. Plant seeds 1 inch deep, 1–2 inches apart. Keep soil moist but not waterlogged — pawpaw seeds can take a few weeks to sprout, so patience is key.
Plant at least 2 trees for cross-pollination and fruit set.
Pollination is crucial — pawpaws aren't self-fertile. Outdoors, flies and beetles do the work naturally. Indoors, hand pollinate using a small paintbrush to distribute pollen from flower to flower. These blooms will eventually produce fruit.
Harvest season runs September–October. Pawpaws are ready when they yield slightly to pressure and are easily plucked from the tree. Avoid overripe fruit — odd taste sets in quickly. Fresh pawpaws keep in cold storage up to 3 days. Freeze the pulp for up to 6 months.
The flavor is unbelievable — often described as dessert-like, resembling rich custard with tropical notes. Pawpaws are rarely found in grocery stores. Growing your own is the best way to experience them.
The pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is North America's largest native fruit. The flavor is often described as a blend of banana, mango, and vanilla custard. The texture is creamy and custard-like, similar to a ripe avocado. Pawpaws are almost never found in grocery stores because they bruise easily and have a shelf life of only 2-3 days after ripening. Growing your own tree is the most reliable way to experience fresh pawpaw fruit.
Yes. Pawpaw seeds require 90-120 days of cold moist stratification at 32-40°F to break dormancy. Without stratification, germination rates drop dramatically. All seeds from PawpawSeeds.com are fully stratified and ready to plant immediately. We harvest in September, stratify through winter, and ship in spring.
Pawpaw trees grown from seed typically produce their first fruit in 5 to 7 years. Grafted trees may fruit in 3-4 years. You need at least two genetically different trees for cross-pollination, as pawpaws are not self-fertile. Once established, a mature pawpaw tree can produce 25-50 pounds of fruit per year during the September-October harvest season.
Pawpaw trees thrive in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 8, covering most of the eastern United States. They grow naturally from northern Florida to southern Ontario. Pawpaws prefer partial shade when young, transitioning to full sun as they mature. They need rich, well-drained, slightly acidic soil and consistent moisture. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia are particularly strong pawpaw-growing regions.
Susquehanna and Allegheny are named pawpaw cultivars developed by Neal Peterson's breeding program. Susquehanna produces some of the largest pawpaw fruit (up to 1 pound each) with sweet, rich flavor and relatively few seeds. Allegheny is prized for productive yields and complex flavor with tropical and custard notes. Note: pawpaw seeds don't produce exact copies of the parent tree. Each seedling is genetically unique, which contributes to healthy genetic diversity in your pawpaw planting.
Yes, pawpaw trees can be grown in containers for the first few years. Use a deep pot (at least 18 inches) because pawpaws develop a long taproot. Use well-draining potting mix, keep soil consistently moist, and provide partial sun. Container-grown pawpaws will eventually need to be transplanted outdoors or into progressively larger containers. For fruit production indoors, you'll need to hand-pollinate using a small paintbrush, since the natural pollinators (flies and beetles) won't be present.
The pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is North America's largest native fruit — dynamic, unique, and undeniably sweet. If you haven't encountered one, you're in for a treat. Dynamic and custard-rich with tropical undertones, it's one of the most rewarding trees you can grow in the eastern US.
Our seeds come from mature trees in southeastern Pennsylvania, growing in the heart of pawpaw country. Handpicked at peak ripeness and cold-stratified over winter — they're ready to become your next great gardening story.
Questions? seeds@pawpawseeds.com