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Common pawpaw
Wendell Smith, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Custard-apple family: soursop

Common pawpaw

Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal

LC Least Concern

Names

EnglishCommon pawpaw
DutchPawpaw
SpanishChirimoyo de la Florida
Chinese泡泡树
Scientific nameAsimina triloba (L.) Dunal

About this species

Asimina triloba, the American papaw, pawpaw, paw paw, or paw-paw, among many regional names, is a species of small deciduous tree. It has large leaves and produces a large, yellowish-green to brown fruit.

The species is native to eastern North America, in a more temperate range than its tropical relatives. It is a patch-forming (clonal) understory tree of hardwood forests, being found in well-drained, deep, fertile bottomland and also hilly upland habitat.

Although much of the plant contains the neurotoxin annonacin, the ripe fruits are edible. They are sweet, with a custard-like texture and a flavor somewhat similar to banana or pineapple. They are commonly eaten raw, but are also used to make ice cream and baked desserts.

Read more on Wikipedia · Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Classification

KingdomPlantae
PhylumTracheophyta
ClassMagnoliopsida
OrderMagnoliales
FamilyAnnonaceae
GenusAsimina

In Suriname

1Records in Suriname
1925First record

Where it has been recorded

  • Saramacca1

Districts with at least one record that has coordinates. Shaded districts have records.

Sources & credits

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Related species in Suriname