Did you sing the song "Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch" as a child? I did and often wondered what a Paw Paw was since they don't so much grow in Alaska.
Turns out, it's a tree fruit native to Eastern, Southern, and Midwestern United States and adjacent southernmost Ontario, Canada, from New York west to southeastern Nebraska, and south to northern Florida and eastern Texas. About six years ago, I saw Asimina triloba (doesn't fit the song as well as Paw Paw, right?) trees at a local nursery and fairly small male and female trees came home with me. Each tree has bloomed but never both of them together until this year.
A few years ago, I ordered some Paw Paws online to see what they tasted like. The fruit doesn't have a long shelf life so, unless you live in a part of the country where they are native, you probably won't see them at your local grocery store. The fruit is delicious with a custard-like consistency and a rich flavor somewhat like ripe banana mixed with pineapple.
The flowers aren't large and probably wouldn't win a beauty contest but the sight of them on both trees at the same time is thrilling to me!
Fingers crossed that this was pollinated and those are baby fruit!
And more fruit forming while the trees have even more blooms! Interesting the little things that excite gardeners isn't it?
Have you grown paw paws? Do you live in a part of the country where there are wild paw paw patches? If so, do you go down yonder and pick the fruit?