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Consider the Pawpaw

beltmag.com

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Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#2
I am the proud gardener of seven paw paw trees. I've been tending them for a little more than three years now and am very VERY excited for when (if ever) they produce fruit! I wish there were more places to find other varieties (e.g. not Asimona Triloba) that might help with pollination.

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#3

I am the proud gardener of seven paw paw trees. I've been tending them for a little more than three years now and am very VERY excited for when (if ever) they produce fruit! I wish there were more places to find other varieties (e.g. not Asimona Triloba) that might help with pollination.

My understanding (and you probably already know) is that PawPaws are pollinated by flies (and not bees).

At a medieval/fantasy campground I've planted thousands of trees at, we located the pawpaw trees near the bathrooms and trash cans. Both of which attract flies.

Perhaps when (or shortly before) the pawpaws are in bloom, you dump some charnel or other biowaste near the trees to help attract flies?

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#4
Or the prickly pear

If you prick a raw paw, next time beware!

Don’t pick a prickly pear by the paw, when you pick a pear try to use the claw!

But you don’t need to use the paw when you pick a pear of the big pawpaw

Have I given you a clue?

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#5
Missing mention of pawpaw's annonacin content, which causes Parkinsonism.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22130466/

"Pawpaw fruit contains a high concentration of annonacin, which is toxic to cortical neurons."

https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs...

"Pawpaw fruit contains high concentrations of annonacin, which is toxic to nerve cells. In addition there have been case reports of possibly related nerve toxicity. Therefore, chronic use should be avoided."

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#6

I am the proud gardener of seven paw paw trees. I've been tending them for a little more than three years now and am very VERY excited for when (if ever) they produce fruit! I wish there were more places to find other varieties (e.g. not Asimona Triloba) that might help with pollination.

Some people drape bacon on the limbs to attract flies to pollinate the pawpaws!

You can also try hand pollinating with a soft brush if you’re not interested in adorning the boughs with rotting meat.

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#7
I live in a region that apparently has Pawpaw trees that grow natively and until last year had never even heard of the fruit!

This year I'm hoping to try one of these for the first time :)

I figure it's a pretty unique experience and helps me appreciate some of the local agriculture that's hard to find elsewhere.

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#8
post #4

Or the prickly pear If you prick a raw paw, next time beware! Don’t pick a prickly pear by the paw, when you pick a pear try to use the claw! But you don’t need to use the paw when you pick a pear of the big pawpaw Have I given you a clue?

Golly! Thanks, Baloo!

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#9

Missing mention of pawpaw's annonacin content, which causes Parkinsonism. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22130466/ "Pawpaw fruit contains a high concentration of annonacin, which is toxic to cortical neurons." https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs... "Pawpaw fruit contains high concentrations of annonacin, which is toxic to nerve cells. In addition there have been case reports of possibly rela…

Probably not a huge issue as long as you only eat it every so often. But I wonder about the possibility of producing varieties of pawpaw (or soursop or other related Annonas) that don't produce annonacin. Probably could be done with genetic engineering, or much more slowly with selective breeding.

Given that there are places where people consume Annonas very often, and that this may lead to alarmingly high rates of parkinsonism [1], this could be considered an effective public health intervention.

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10440304/

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#10
post #4

Or the prickly pear If you prick a raw paw, next time beware! Don’t pick a prickly pear by the paw, when you pick a pear try to use the claw! But you don’t need to use the paw when you pick a pear of the big pawpaw Have I given you a clue?

I heard that instantly when I saw “pawpaw”.
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