Papayas or pawpaws, as we call them, deserve a place in the garden, as much for their large tropical-looking leaves as for their sweet, exotically flavoured fruit. They originate from southern Mexico and Central America, so they flourish in tropical and subtropical areas and produce a bumper crop of fruit that can be appreciated fresh or used to bring a tropical flavour to everything from fresh summer salads to smoothies. You can even use the unripe green fruit in Asian-inspired salads, stir-fries and curries.
Papaya trees can be male, female or bisexual. Males don’t bear fruit, female trees need a male to produce a good crop, and bisexual trees are mostly self-pollinating, so always check the label to see if you need a compatible planting partner.
Pawpaws are fast-growing trees that can…
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Good Organic Gardening (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue#9.5 - 2018