Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Consider the Pawpaw

beltmag.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 69 posts

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#51

Post by whyenot »

jonah wrote: post #36

If you're in a region where they grow - temperate but with sufficient overwinter chill - you could consider planting some. They're nice looking trees with large leaves, the fruit is tasty, zebra swallowtail butterfly caterpillars feed off of the leaves, and you're helping preserve an endemic American fruit tree. My Dad's little one-man nursery is a good source of trees. ;) https://www.blossomnursery.com/ (Some of you…

Oh wow, thank you sharing your dad's nursery. I am going to purchase some germinated seeds from him for the university greenhouse collection that I manage.

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#52

Post by 6B »

atebyagrue wrote: post #48

I've been harvesting these in the wild for years. They are pretty difficult to describe in flavor (banana/mango/tropical being a good approximation), as the flavor isn't consistent even between close patches. They have about a 3 week ripe window mid-to-end August (depending on the shade) in my area when they should be harvested. I typically just push on the slender tree & if any fall; they're ripe. It's best to harve…

I'm central Ohio and only heard of pawpaw fruit a couple times as a tiny child. Totally forgot they existed. Most of Dad's foraging was a different season (morels). How would one go about trying to find (relatively) local to try pawpaw when they're in season?

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#53

Post by emursebrian »

They're native here. I've been trying to get some trees going for a few years. So far, my trees have been slow to grow and I've lost most of what I planted.

I've planted a half dozen clones from a few different trees back in 2021, and one or two of those has survived. Last year, I planted a few seedlings.

They need shade when they're young. Some say they're good after two years and some say you need to let them get to be a certain size before you give them full sun.

I changed from wire tomato cages and old sheets to tree wraps and stakes and the trees seem to have fared fine.

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#54

Post by ars »

dvh wrote: post #23

When I've tried to search what does pawpaw tastes like the two most specific descriptions I could find was "mild pawpaw taste" and "not banana".

It tastes like a mix of an apple and a banana.

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#56

Post by DougN7 »

jmbwell wrote: 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?

Was that from memory? If so, kudos to you!

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#57

Post by CasualBrowser »

atebyagrue wrote: post #48

I've been harvesting these in the wild for years. They are pretty difficult to describe in flavor (banana/mango/tropical being a good approximation), as the flavor isn't consistent even between close patches. They have about a 3 week ripe window mid-to-end August (depending on the shade) in my area when they should be harvested. I typically just push on the slender tree & if any fall; they're ripe. It's best to harve…

I've always been curious, but based on your description I need to try them! I know of a large tree on a trail I hike, but the only way I'll get one from there is by them falling on their own. They are always really squishy when I do come across one, so I've never been brave enough to take a taste. How do you know they are good or ripe?

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#58

Post by justinator »

sdwr wrote: post #40
tomoyoirl wrote: post #24

David Foster Wallace it ain’t. https://www.columbia.edu/~col8/lobsterarticle.pdf

What a terrible imitation! Uses the format of that classic, but completely butchers it. DFW did a dark reflection of a travel piece. His anti-social, elitist, nihilistic tone was expertly woven in, and creates tension between the subject and author. This just... is travel journalism, but using that one's structure? A mirror of a mirror, all meaning lost.

He did a piece on taking a cruise and hating it. Found himself in the ship's library being torched in chess by a 12 year old.

chef's kiss

Re: Consider the Pawpaw

#60

Post by oblib »

I planted a Pawpaw about 20 years ago. Can't say it's doing great but it's not dead yet. Takes like 20 years for them to start producing fruit. Last year one of my daughters told me it had a single fruit on it, and then told me she'd ate it, so I've still not seen a Pawpaw on it
Post reply on HN