Pawpaw three-lobed (banana tree): cultivation and varieties. Azimina. Reproduction, planting and care of pawpaw pawpaw plant

basic information

Name: pawpaw

Family: annonova

Origin: North America

Humidity: moderate

Location: bright areas of the garden

The soil: garden loose soil

Pests and diseases: root damage due to high humidity

Height: 12 m

Bloom: April

Description of the plant

Three-lobed pawpaw is a tree with a wide pyramidal crown, growing up to 4-5, under favorable conditions - up to 12-15 m. In nature, it grows along river banks, in forests with moist, loose soil, and often forms dense thickets. The trunk and branches have gray smooth bark, young shoots are densely pubescent. Large, from 12 to 33 cm in length and 4.5-12 cm in width, petiolate leathery leaves of an oblong-ovate shape, pointed at the ends and tapering to the petioles, appear in late spring after the flowers bloom. The lower surface of young leaves is pubescent, reddish-brown, the upper surface is smooth, glossy, bright green, becoming light or gray-green over time.

• Flowering begins in April and lasts about 3 weeks. Flower buds, thanks to their insulating shell, withstand spring frosts well.
• Single, bell-shaped brown-purple or wine-red flowers hanging on a pubescent peduncle appear in the axils of last year's leaves, giving the plant a decorative appearance. Their diameter reaches 6 cm, each has several pistils, thanks to which the pawpaw plant can set up to 9 fruits from one flower.
• Bisexual flowers are protogenic, that is, the stigma of the pistil matures before the anthers open; pollination within one flower is excluded. The plant requires cross-pollination, for which it is recommended to have at least 2 varieties in the garden. The flowers have a faint unpleasant odor, reminiscent of spoiled meat, and are pollinated by flies, bees, and ants.
• Pawpaw fruits ripen in September-October and are juicy berries of an oblong-cylindrical shape, usually somewhat angular, varying in size and weight. Their length can be from 5 to 15-16 cm, width - 3-7 cm, weight - from 60 g to 200 g.
• Individual fruits are collected in fruit clusters of 2-3, sometimes up to 9 pieces, have a thin, translucent, easily removable skin and orange or whitish-yellow flesh, soft when ripe, similar in consistency to butter, very sweet, reminiscent in taste banana and mango, with a sharp strawberry-pineapple scent. The color of the peel is initially dark green, then it gradually lightens and becomes lemon yellow, and after the first frost it turns black.

Beneficial features

Currently, the properties of the plant are still being studied, but some facts already exist. For example, it is well known that Azimina fruits contain many vitamins (they are especially rich in vitamins C and A) and microelements: potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron. It is worth noting that the fruits are quite high in calories (about 360 kcal). Indian peoples have used the plant's seeds as an emetic since ancient times.

Landing Azimina

On the territory of our country, growing pawpaw is possible in areas with a warm climate that provide at least 160 frost-free days (Krasnodar Territory, Kuban, Caucasus). Mature trees are light-loving and produce maximum yield in full sunlight; young plantings suffer from direct sunlight in the first two years and need shading. Trees are watered regularly, trunk circles and row spacing are mulched, which helps retain moisture in the soil and prevents it from overheating in the summer months. As the seedlings grow, they switch to artificial turf with perennial grasses, periodically mowing them and using them as mulch. During the period of active growth, pawpaw is fed once every 2 weeks with organic or complete mineral fertilizer. In the spring, sanitary pruning and replacement pruning are performed. The plant is little affected by diseases and pests.

Reproduction in shifts

Pawpaw is propagated by seeds, root layering and grafting. Root shoots are usually few in number, weakly grow the root system and do not tolerate transplantation well. For propagation, it is recommended to separate it from the mother plant a year before the planned transplant. Pawpaw seeds require stratification, otherwise their germination may take up to 3 years. Stratified seeds sown in late autumn germinate in July. Young plants develop poorly in the first year and do not tolerate transplantation well. Specimens grown from seeds bloom in 4-8 years, grafted ones - after 2-3 years, but grafting trees is quite difficult.

The surest way to acclimatize plants is still considered to be growing them from seeds. If pawpaw is grown where it has not grown before, it is necessary to focus on varieties and forms of early ripening, bred or growing in the north of its range, with a short growing season and with good ripening of annual growth wood. Pawpaw seeds dry out quickly after being removed from the fruit - after only 5 days of storage in the open air, the water content in them decreases sharply, which leads to loss of germination. To maintain viability, seeds removed from fruits are best stored in a moist substrate. To obtain good seedlings, cold stratification (0–5 °C) of seeds is necessary for 3–4 months. In stratified seeds, under warm conditions, additional development of the root and cotyledons occurs, which ensures a more or less uniform emergence of seedlings. Seeds should be sown to a depth of 2–3 cm. Mass shoots appear after a month, and individual shoots after 2 months. The germination rate of properly stored seeds is 80%. Stratified seeds sown in the ground germinate at an air temperature of at least 18–22 °C; in our conditions, seedlings appear in late May - early June, regardless of the timing of spring sowing.

In the first year, seedlings reach a height of 10–15 cm, have 6–10 leaves, and the root collar is 1.5–3 mm in diameter. The root of a seedling is a tap root; the root system of annual plants is 150–170 cm long, located in the soil at a depth of up to 20 cm. When transplanting seedlings from a greenhouse to a nursery, the roots very often break, so you need to replant them with a lump of earth or sow them directly into containers from which can then be easily transferred to the prepared planting hole. To grow varietal planting material, pawpaw is propagated by budding during mass flowering of plants (usually in Kyiv conditions - May 5–15), the grafting survival rate is 75–90%. Budding (and grafting) of pawpaws must be carried out quickly and carefully, using a stainless steel knife, since the sections quickly oxidize due to the high content of tannins in air. Pawpaw plants also form root shoots, which can be dug up and used as planting material. Plants of seed origin bloom only in the 5th–6th year after planting, the yield increases gradually, grafted ones already in the 2nd–3rd year and quickly begin to bear fruit. The harvest is formed on last year's shoots and depends on the vigor of the plant, growing conditions, as well as the presence of pollinating insects and cross-pollination. Full mass fruiting is typical for 10–15 year old plants.

Propagation by root parts

Root suckers:

• The root shoots are broken off;
• plant deep in the soil, water;
• sprouts appear in about a month.

For planting, pawpaw seedlings or saplings are used. Two-year-old seedlings 40–50 cm high with a root collar diameter of 6–9 mm have 14–20 leaves and a total length of the root system of 2.5–3 m. The height of seedlings (grafted varietal plants) at one year of age reaches 60–70 cm, the diameter of the trunk – 10–12 mm, they should have good fusion of the scion with the rootstock. An elevated, sheltered from the wind and well-lit place is best suited for planting pawpaws. When planting on a slope, drains must be installed to prevent the flow of storm or melt water. The optimal planting scheme, ensuring good plant development, is 3 m between plants and 5 m between rows. On a personal plot, the feeding area may be smaller - 2.5 x 4 m, but given that pawpaw grows well and develops quickly, it is advisable not to plant other plants close. The depth of the planting holes is 50–60 cm, the width is 60–70 cm. The soil from the top layer of the hole is mixed with 5–10 kg of compost or humus, the plant is planted on a mound, straightening the root system, the hole is filled with soil from the rows, and a hole is made for watering. After planting, the plants are watered and mulched with peat, bark, and humus. During the growing season, water as needed.

Rules of care

• Slightly acidic soil, rich in organic matter, fertilize with humus with the addition of ash;
• fertilizing with urea in spring, and complex fertilizer 3-4 times in summer;
• mulch the tree trunk circle or sow it with lawn grass;
• good lighting;
• no drafts.

It is recommended to fertilize pawpaw with humus infused for 24 hours with the addition of fish broth. This composition promotes the growth of the banana tree. Infusions of lupine or quinoa have a positive effect on the development of the tree. Fertilizers are added only to moist soil so as not to damage the branched root system of the pawpaw. For the same purpose, you cannot loosen deeper than 1 cm.

Diseases and pests

Pawpaw is resistant to diseases and pests. But improper watering can cause root rot. In this case, the leaves turn brown and the pawpaw grows poorly. Balance in moisture and watering regime are important. In indoor conditions, replanting the plant will help. Pawpaw roots should be rinsed well with water, removing diseased areas. To prevent pests from time to time, pawpaw can be watered with a weak solution of manganese.

Pawpaw is an unusual and still not very common fruit tree in Russia, which may well become a worthy addition to the collection of gardeners and flower growers who love all kinds of exotics. The culture is decorative, and with proper care it will delight the owner with an abundant harvest of tasty and healthy fruits. There is nothing difficult about growing it in open ground; the only limitation is that the climate must be suitable. Those who are unlucky with this can cultivate pawpaw at home.

What does pawpaw look like?

Pawpaw (Asimina) is a small genus of deciduous trees and shrubs, part of the Annonaceae family. At the moment, eight of its representatives are known, all of them are found in nature only in North America. Some species can be found in France, Spain, Italy, and Japan. The pawpaw is most common in the southern United States (Nebraska, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Georgia, Virginia).

In nature, pawpaw can grow up to 15 m in height, but in captivity its dimensions are limited - this simplifies care and harvesting

The most frost-resistant (down to -30ºС) is the three-lobed pawpaw (triloba), which grows mainly in Canada (Ontario). It is this plant that is cultivated in Russia. They began to grow it in captivity quite recently, about a century ago. The optimal climate for the plant is temperate, bordering on subtropical.

Azimina is known by many nicknames in her homeland. It is most often called the banana tree, but there are other variations - "Nebraska banana", "poor man's banana", "northern", "dog" or "Mexican" banana. It is also known as "pow-pow". The pawpaw owes this to the similarity of the fruits to papaya (papaya), and according to another version, their “clusters” with an animal’s paw (paw).

In nature, pawpaw grows on average to 4–5 m in height, in optimal conditions - up to 12–15 m. In captivity, it is usually limited to a level of 2–3 m. Its crown is spreading, in the shape of a wide pyramid. Under natural conditions, trees form almost impenetrable thickets on river banks, as well as wherever the soil is wet and loose. The trunk and shoots of pawpaw are grayish in color, the bark is smooth. Young branches are covered with thick “lint”.

The leaves are large, hard to the touch, about 20 cm long and 7–8 cm wide. They resemble an ellipse in shape, gradually tapering at the petiole and more sharply towards the tip. The front side of a young leaf is bright green; as it matures, it becomes lighter and a grayish undertone appears. The underside is dull red or brick.

Pawpaw leaves are dense and glossy, as if artificial

Interestingly, the leaves bloom only at the end of spring. The flowers appear first. The buds open in mid-April, flowering continues for at least 20 days, although each individual flower lives for a maximum of a week. Flower buds extremely rarely suffer from returning spring frosts; they are protected by a special shell, similar to a casing.

Pawpaw flower buds are reliably protected from returning spring frosts

The flowers are very decorative. They are located in the axils of last year's leaves on long stalks that bend slightly under their weight. They have three outer and inner petals, painted in a rich dark scarlet, purple-violet, wine color. Their entire surface is covered with a clearly visible pattern of veins. The base of the petal is yellowish. The average flower diameter is 5–6 cm.

Pawpaw flowers look very unusual and impressive, especially considering that they are not covered by leaves

Each of them has several pistils, so one bud can produce 3–5 or even 7–9 fruits. The plant necessarily requires cross-pollination, so if pawpaw is planted with the expectation of harvesting, at least two varieties will be required. The aroma of the flowers is not very pleasant, similar to the smell of rotten meat, but it is barely perceptible.

Each pollinated flower can produce up to nine fruits.

Most pawpaw flowers fall off in early summer. This means that they were not pollinated. Towards mid-July, the tree may lose a significant part of its fruit ovaries, especially if it is hot and there is no rain. For berries to ripen, a minimum of 160 days with a temperature above 18ºC is required.

The productive life of pawpaw is 50 years or more. It bears fruit for the first time 5–6 years after the plant is planted in the ground. The harvest ripens in late September or early October. Pawpaw is called a banana tree, but the shape of the fruits is more similar to papaya - elongated, oblong, slightly curved and “angular”. The size and weight of the berries vary greatly. The length can be 5–15 cm, width - 2–8 cm, weight - 50–350 g. The hotter and drier the summer, the smaller the berries.

The skin of pawpaw fruits is thin, pale green or yellowish, and is very easily removed. In ripe fruits it appears translucent. The flesh is the color of butter, sometimes light orange, soft, creamy. It is very sweet, but the taste is quite difficult to describe. It is a cross between mango, banana, pineapple and feijoa. But it smells almost like strawberries and cream. At home, in the USA, they say that the pulp has the taste of custard.

The taste of pawpaw pulp is quite difficult to describe, but the vast majority of those who have tried the fruit claim that they have never eaten anything better

Pawpaw seeds are large, similar to persimmon seeds, but shiny, black-brown in color. In the pulp they are arranged in two rows. There are from 8 to 14 of them in each fruit.

The chemical composition of pawpaw fruits is similar to bananas. They are nutritious (350–360 kcal per 100 g), contain a lot of vitamin C (50–60 mg per 100 g), carotene, potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, phosphorus, as well as essential amino acids (lysine, tryptophan, arginine) . There is also an increased content of sucrose and fructose. Because of this, pawpaw should not be eaten by those who suffer from diabetes of any type, but this is the only contraindication. Its fruits rarely cause allergies. In cooking, berries find a wide variety of uses - they are canned, preparing compotes, jams, marmalade, ice cream, used as a filling for baked goods, and added to creams.

Pawpaw fruits are not only tasty, but also very healthy; Unfortunately, the crop does not differ in productivity, even if ideal conditions are created for it.

Video: picking pawpaw fruits

Even if the climate does not allow pawpaw fruits to ripen, it can be used in landscape design as an ornamental foliage plant

The culture is not without certain disadvantages that prevent its wide spread:

• Low yield. On average, about 25 kg of fruits are removed from an adult tree, in particularly successful years - 35–40 kg, but this is already the limit.
• Difficulty with reproduction. The seeds do not germinate; a significant percentage of seedlings die. Pawpaw takes a very long time to take root in a new place after being transplanted into open ground. Her vaccination is a rather complex procedure that requires a lot of experience. But even in this case, success is not guaranteed.
• The fragility of wood. Branches and trunk very often break under the influence of gusts of wind, under the weight of snow. Even the harvest can be an “overwhelming burden” for them.
• Harvesting. The fruits on the tree ripen quickly, so they need to be picked on time. Otherwise, they immediately crumble, inevitably suffering mechanical damage. Even with the smallest amounts, the pulp deteriorates very quickly, acquiring an unpleasant aftertaste reminiscent of burnt coffee beans.
• Very short shelf life. Fresh berries will last for a maximum of 2–3 days (5–6 days in the refrigerator), which makes transportation completely impossible. There is no point in picking unripe fruits - they lose a lot of taste as they ripen. Accordingly, those who grow fruits and berries on an industrial scale are completely uninterested in pawpaw. By the way, this property also applies to homemade pawpaw preparations. They are stored for no more than a month.

Even minor mechanical damage leads to the fact that the taste of pawpaw pulp deteriorates sharply

Recently, breeders have been paying close attention to pawpaw. Most of the new varieties were bred in the USA, but there are also Russian ones, for example, Michurinka, Sochinskaya. Among the foreign ones, the most popular are Pennsylvania Gold, Rebecca Gold, Davis, Sunflower. If you have a choice, it is better to purchase one of the early varieties. Practice shows that they are much tastier, since the fruits ripen at higher air temperatures.

Rebecca Gold is one of the most popular pawpaw varieties bred in the USA.

Video: description of pawpaws

Landing procedure and preparation for it

Growing a new pawpaw is quite a difficult task. The seeds do not differ in germination; the plant rarely produces root shoots. This is due to the structural features of the root system. Vaccination requires some experience and does not always guarantee a positive result.

Seed stratification and planting

Pawpaw seeds are extracted only from ripe fruits that do not show the slightest signs of damage by pathogenic fungi and pests. Their stratification is required, otherwise the germination process may take 2–3 years.

If there are fruits, there is nothing difficult in getting pawpaw seeds

Seedlings obtained from seeds rarely completely inherit the varietal characteristics of the “parent” plant. But practice shows: if planting material is extracted from large fruits, the berries on new plants will also be larger in size and the harvest will be more abundant.

Seeds extracted from the pulp lose moisture very quickly. This negatively affects germination. Five days of exposure to the open air is enough for the planting material to suffer irreversible damage.

Pawpaw seeds do not differ in germination rate, so it is advisable to stock up on planting material in excess

The so-called cold stratification aims to imitate the natural conditions in which seeds find themselves in winter. In this case, a mechanism for processing complex organic substances into simpler ones is launched. This nutrition is absorbed by the embryo, which begins to develop.

The seeds collected in the fall are placed in a small container filled with a moistened mixture of peat chips and sand in a ratio of approximately 1:1, buried 4–5 cm into the substrate. The container is sent to the refrigerator for 3–4 months, in a special compartment for storing vegetables and fruits, where the temperature is maintained at 3–5ºС. The substrate needs to be moistened once every 2-3 weeks by spraying it with a spray bottle. By spring the seeds should hatch.

Cold stratification imitates the conditions of natural winter, this triggers the mechanism of seed germination

As soon as this happens, they are removed from the refrigerator and soaked for a week in a solution of any biostimulant, changing the liquid daily. Then the seeds are planted in the same substrate in individual pots, preferably peat, deepened by 2–3 cm. The soil must first be well moistened. The containers are covered with film or glass and placed in the brightest and warmest place in the apartment (temperature not lower than 25ºC). A window sill facing south would work well. Pawpaw sprouts unfriendly. The first ones may appear in 6–8 weeks, the rest - within another month and a half.

To wait for pawpaw sprouts, you will have to be patient

When the seedlings grow to 12–15 cm (this happens after about a year), they are planted in a greenhouse along with the pots. Pawpaw is transferred to a permanent place only for the next season. But, in principle, you can leave the plant at home for this time.

Pawpaw trees obtained from seeds practically do not grow in the first 2–3 years and tolerate replanting very poorly. They can be expected to bloom in 6–8 years.

Young pawpaw plants obtained from seeds gain very little growth in the first few years of life.

Video: pawpaw seeds

Planting pawpaws in the ground and preparing for it

Pawpaw has no special requirements for soil quality, but the best option for it is a light, well-aerated, slightly acidic (pH 5.0–7.0) substrate. It will also survive in heavy clay soil, but growth and development will slow down greatly, and you can’t count on abundant harvests. When planting several plants at once, leave at least 3 m between them, and 4.5–5 m between rows of plantings.

The planting pit is prepared in advance, 3–3.5 weeks before the procedure. Pawpaw is most often planted in the spring, even in warm southern regions. The plant recovers from the stress associated with replanting as if from a serious illness, and in this state it will not survive the coming winter in 2-3 months.

The average depth of the planting hole is about 60 cm, diameter - 65–70 cm. At the bottom, a layer of drainage at least 8–10 cm thick is required. Small pebbles, pebbles, expanded clay, clay shards, and so on are suitable for this. The top fertile layer of soil extracted from it is mixed with fertilizers - humus or rotted compost (10–15 l), wood ash (liter jar). The latter can be replaced with simple superphosphate (40–50 g) and potassium sulfate (20–30 g). If the soil is heavy and clayey, add another 2-3 buckets of coarse river sand.

Pawpaw categorically does not tolerate stagnant moisture, so a layer of drainage is required at the bottom of the planting hole (especially if the soil is heavy)

It is advisable to choose a place for pawpaw immediately and forever. It tolerates replanting very poorly; the tap root can easily be damaged in the process, and then the plant will certainly die. It is generally undesirable to disturb trees older than three years. The best option for it is an open area well warmed by the sun. But at the same time it must be protected from cold drafts. Ideally, at some distance from the pawpaw there is a fence or wall of a building that does not obscure it, but screens it from the north.

Any lowland and areas where groundwater comes closer to the surface than 2 m are absolutely not suitable. Azimina has a very negative attitude towards the “swamp” at the roots, and water and damp cold air stagnate there for a long time.

Pawpaw is light-loving, but young plants under two years of age easily get sunburned, so they need light shading. You can, for example, build a canopy over them from gauze folded several times or any white covering material.

The procedure for planting in the ground looks like this:

1. About half an hour before the procedure, water the seedling generously. Carefully remove it from the pot (if it is not peat), trying to damage the earthen ball as little as possible.
2. Make a small depression at the top of the mound at the bottom of the hole. Place the seedling there along with a lump of earth. It is advisable to plant pawpaw at an angle of approximately 40–45º - this stimulates the formation of a larger number of adventitious roots.
3. Fill the planting hole with soil. It is absolutely forbidden to compact it with your hands, much less trample it.
4. Water the plant generously (20–30 liters of water). When the water is absorbed, mulch a circle around the trunk with a diameter of about half a meter with peat chips and humus.

Video: how to properly plant pawpaw in the ground

Other methods of reproduction

Pawpaw rarely and in small quantities, but still produces basal shoots. Such a “seedling” is carefully separated from the plant along with part of the root. You can also dig up the soil and cut out a piece of rhizome 8–10 cm long.

They are planted immediately in open ground. The seedlings are placed vertically, the rhizomes horizontally, deepened by 3–5 cm. In the first case, the root collar must be in the soil at a depth of about 8–10 cm. To ensure a “greenhouse effect,” the plantings are covered with a glass cap and a cut plastic bottle. After about a month, the plant should take root in its new location. This is easy to notice by the appearance of new growth. A prerequisite for success is abundant (but not excessive) watering.

Those who have been growing pawpaw for a long time are advised to cut the rhizome connecting it to the mother plant by about a third a year before transplanting the root shoots. In this case, the new seedling’s own root system will develop more actively.

The fastest, but also the most difficult way to grow a new pawpaw and get a harvest from it is grafting. Such plants bloom already in the second or third year after the procedure.

As a scion, use the top of a shoot of an absolutely healthy plant at the age of five years, 12–15 cm long. It is important that it approximately matches the diameter of the rootstock. The grafted cuttings are cut obliquely on both sides so that a wedge is formed, the rootstock is cut horizontally.

Splitting is the easiest method of grafting, but in the case of pawpaw it does not guarantee success

Next, you need to make a cut about 1.5 cm deep in the rootstock perpendicular to the cutting plane. The cutting is inserted into it. It should enter the split with some effort. The grafting site is securely fixed by wrapping it with several layers of plastic film and electrical tape. Everything needs to be done as quickly as possible - due to the high content of tannins, cuts oxidize in the open air. All lower side shoots are removed from the rootstock.

You will have to wait quite a long time for the results of the grafting operation.

The scion on pawpaw takes root within 1.5–2 months. As soon as new leaves begin to form on the cuttings, the fixing tape can be removed. Another sign that the operation was successful is the formation of callus. This is a kind of “influx” of connective tissue at the place where the cutting and rootstock are fixed.

Pawpaw is a fairly unpretentious plant. But it can only be grown for fruiting in regions with a warm climate. On Russian territory this is the Caucasus and the Black Sea region. The plant successfully tolerates cold temperatures down to -30ºС, but if there are not at least 160 frost-free days a year, the berries simply will not have time to ripen. In the Volga region, Moscow region, and the European part of Russia, pawpaw can only be cultivated as an ornamental foliage plant.

The main “requirement” of the plant is proper watering. Pawpaw is moisture-loving (in nature it most often grows on river banks), but it absolutely cannot tolerate stagnant water. If the weather is not too hot, one watering every 10–12 days is sufficient. An adult tree uses 60–70 liters of water. After this, be sure to update the mulch layer. It will help retain moisture in the soil and prevent the soil from overheating. And the gardener will save time on weeding. From the end of August, watering is gradually reduced, reducing to nothing by mid-October.

Proper watering of pawpaw is very important for the normal development of the plant.

Among fertilizers, pawpaw reacts very positively to natural organic matter. The main macroelements it needs are nitrogen (during the growth of green mass) and phosphorus (for the formation and ripening of fruits). If the planting pit has been prepared in compliance with all recommendations, pawpaw does not need fertilizing for the first two years.

Then, during the growing season (from about mid-April), once every two weeks it is watered with infusions of fresh cow manure, chicken droppings, dandelion leaves, nettle greens, and wood ash. You can alternate such fertilizing with a solution of any complex mineral fertilizer for fruit trees prepared according to the instructions (Kemira Lux, Master, Agros, Good Power, Zdraven, and so on).

Pawpaw can be fed with universal complex fertilizers for fruit trees

Pawpaw rarely suffers from diseases and pests. The tissues of the plant contain many tannins, which effectively repel most of them. For prevention, it is enough to water the tree once a month with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate or spray the leaves with soda ash (5–7 g per liter of water).

Potassium permanganate is one of the most affordable disinfectants

The main danger threatening it is root rot. Most often, its development is provoked by the gardener himself, by watering the tree too often and/or abundantly. Symptoms of the disease are a blackening and “wetting” base of the trunk, browning withered leaves, mold on the surface of the soil, and an unpleasant putrid odor coming from it. In this case, watering is stopped immediately, allowing the substrate to dry thoroughly. The tree is treated 2–3 times with an interval of 4–7 days with a solution of any fungicide - Topaz, Skor, Abiga-Pik, Kuprozan. But the plant can be saved only in the early stages of the disease. If the process has already gone far, the pawpaw is dug up and burned. The soil is disinfected by spilling with a 2% solution of copper sulfate.

Root rot of pawpaw appears very quickly on fruits

Pawpaw pruning is carried out in the spring. For sanitary purposes, be sure to get rid of all frozen, dried out branches that have broken under the weight of snow. It also needs pruning for replacement, because the plant bears fruit mainly on last year’s shoots. Approximately half of the branches with flower buds are shortened by a quarter. And a third of those without them are cut very short, leaving 2-3 growth buds.

The practice of growing pawpaw is not yet very extensive, so no clear pruning schemes have been developed at the moment. In order to facilitate maintenance, the height of the tree is limited by pinching the top.

To trim pawpaws, use only a disinfected and sharpened tool.

Pawpaw is not a self-pollinating plant. Therefore, in order for fruit to set, there must be at least two trees of different varieties on the site. You can also pollinate manually, transferring pollen from one flower to another using a brush or cotton pad. To attract flies, which are the main pollinators of pawpaw in Russia, you can hang small pieces of spoiled meat near the tree.

The soil in the tree trunk circle is never dug up. It can only be very carefully loosened to a depth of no more than 2–3 cm. Ideally, this should be done after each watering to improve soil aeration. The tree trunk circle must also be loosened at the beginning of the growing season, at the same time adding fertilizer - humus or rotted compost (25–30 liters per adult tree). Once every 2–3 years, any mineral nitrogen fertilizer (urea, ammonium sulfate) is added to it.

Growing in a subtropical climate, pawpaw does not need shelter from the cold, but in central Russia it is worth taking precautions. There the winter can be both quite warm and abnormally cold. The events are no different from those held for other fruit trees. The tree trunk circle is cleared of debris, mulched with peat or humus, creating a layer at least 10 cm thick. A mound 25–30 cm high is poured near the trunk. As soon as enough snow has fallen, it is raked up to the trunk. As the snowdrift settles, it is renewed 2–3 times during the winter, simultaneously breaking the crust of crust on the surface.

Pawpaw is prepared for winter in the same way as any fruit tree.

Young seedlings can be closed entirely by putting cardboard boxes of a suitable size on them and filling them with shavings, scraps of paper, and straw. It is advisable to wrap the base of the stem with any air-permeable material - burlap, agril, spunbond, even ordinary women's tights.

Azimina at home

Pawpaw can also be grown at home, with regular harvests. In addition, there is a dwarf variety bred by breeders, not exceeding 20–30 cm in height. It blooms very beautifully. Fruits are also produced on such a tree, but small, no more than 3–4 cm in length.

As a rule, in captivity, the height of pawpaws is limited to 1.5–2 m. This is dictated by the dimensions of modern apartments. But if you have a winter garden, greenhouse, etc., pinching the top is not at all necessary.

The dwarf pawpaw, despite its size, regularly produces crops

An adult pawpaw is a very light-loving plant. The minimum duration of daylight is 12 hours. Even direct sunlight does not cause any harm to it. Trees up to three years old can also be placed on the windowsill of a window facing south, southwest, southeast, but they will need to be shaded during the period of maximum solar activity.

The growth rate of young pawpaw is no different, but this can be corrected. If you use fluorescent or special phytolamps to extend the daylight hours to 16 hours, the tree can grow up to one and a half meters in literally 3–4 months.

The use of phytolamps can significantly increase the growth rate of pawpaw

Plant pawpaw immediately in a deep pot of large diameter. A container “for growth” will allow you to avoid transplants, which the plant really does not like. They are carried out only as a last resort and exclusively by transshipment. A mandatory requirement for a pot is the presence of drainage holes. Immediately after transplanting, the pawpaw is watered with warm water, then the soil is not moistened at all for 5–7 days.

Air humidity is not a critical indicator for pawpaw, but it is advisable to periodically wipe the leaves to improve its appearance.

It is advisable to prepare the soil yourself by mixing rotted manure or compost, fertile turf and leaf humus in a 2:1:1 ratio. For each liter of finished substrate, add a handful of coarse sand and a tablespoon of wood ash. At the bottom of the pot, a layer of drainage at least 5–6 cm thick is required.

Azimina has nothing against fresh air. In the summer, if the size of the plant allows, the pot with it can be taken out into the garden, onto an open veranda or balcony. Be sure to provide protection from wind and rain.

Azimina has a very positive attitude towards fresh air

The presence of a dormant period is a prerequisite for flowering and fruiting. The plant should spend at least 4 months at a temperature of 3–8ºС. Water the “resting” pawpaw once every 3–4 weeks; do not fertilize at all. Lighting requirements do not change.

Water the pawpaw so that the soil in the pot is always slightly moist. If it's hot outside - once every two days. In other cases - once a week. The worst thing you can do is water the tree sparingly and often. It prefers rare but abundant watering.

The fruits of indoor pawpaw are small, but no less tasty.

Use only water that has settled and warmed to room temperature. The plant tolerates dry air well, but will appreciate periodic spraying. Also, at least once a week you need to wipe off dust from the leaves with a soft, damp cloth or sponge.

Starting in April, pawpaw is fed every 10–12 days, alternating organic and mineral fertilizers (the same as for plants cultivated in open ground). About an hour before fertilizing, the tree must be watered so that the prepared solution does not burn the roots.

Until recently, pawpaw was well known only in its homeland, in the USA. But gradually this unusual ornamental tree was appreciated by gardeners in Europe, Asia and Russia. The growth of its popularity is facilitated by its unpretentiousness, high resistance to the vast majority of diseases and pests, excellent taste and benefits of the fruit. The culture is not without its drawbacks; difficulties with reproduction are most often noted.

Despite the fact that pawpaw is often called a banana tree, its fruits resemble bananas only in color, but in shape - very vaguely. In size they can be compared to papaya fruits, and in taste - with feijoa berries. Growing this tree in the conditions of Central Russia is impossible due to the increased heat-loving nature of the plant, but you can try to propagate the crop at home.

Pawpaw, banana tree (Asimina) belongs to the Annonaceae family.

Motherland- subtropics of North America.

Pawpaw, a genus of deciduous and evergreen plants of the Annonaceae family. Shrubs, less often low trees with juicy edible fruits. There are 8 known species in North America.

A. three-lobed (A. triloba) is cultivated in the Caucasus and Crimea as an ornamental plant.

Currently, pawpaw trees are also common in Spain, France and Italy; they were brought to Russia in the last century. The fact is that this plant is very frost-resistant and can even withstand severe winters with frosts (down to -29 °C).

The pawpaw plant can be easily formed into a dwarf form, since under room conditions in a container it grows significantly below its natural size.

Pawpaw is also called banana tree, Mexican banana, or Nebraska banana; it received these names for the elongated shape of the fruit, like a banana. It is not only a fruit and ornamental plant; pawpaw seeds and leaves are used in medicine.

It is interesting that the pawpaw is a representative of the Anon family, which is little known to us, distributed almost exclusively in tropical countries. Some species of this family produce valuable, very tasty fruits. So pawpaw is a “slightly tropical” plant. It reminds us that there are many amazing fruits in the world that we have no idea about.

Description of banana tree

It is a deciduous shrub, or less often a low tree with juicy edible fruits. Begins to bear fruit at the 3-4th year of life. The fruit is light green, cylindrical; There can be 3-5 fruits on the stalk at the same time.

Look at the photo - the fruits of the pawpaw tree reach 12 cm in length and 5 cm in diameter:

Fruit weight is 50-100 g. After ripening, the color of the fruit becomes lemon yellow. The skin of the fruit is very thin and tender, underneath there is juicy, sweet pulp with a pleasant aroma, reminiscent of a mixture of strawberries and pineapple. The pulp is rich in composition, it contains valuable microelements, fructose, sucrose. The nutritional value of pawpaw fruits is compared to persimmon fruits. The pulp of the banana tree fruit has a whitish-yellow hue and the consistency of butter. With proper care, the tree produces high yields (25 kg per tree or more).

A fully ripe fruit is very tender and quickly deteriorates from squeezing and blows. When describing pawpaw, it is definitely worth noting that it is difficult to transport its fruits over long distances or store them for any long time. These fruits are for local consumption only.

This is a very ornamental plant with a wide pyramidal crown and beautiful smooth bark; the leaves are quite large (up to 30 cm long and 10 cm wide). The large drooping leaves of the pawpaw are damaged in strong winds, which must be taken into account if you grow it on the balcony or in the garden.

The flowers are beautiful, almost black in color, appear on the plant even before the leaves. Pawpaw flowers are red-violet, monoecious, large (up to 4 cm in diameter); the calyx consists of three leaves, the corolla - of six petals. Pawpaw blooms in the spring, before the leaves unfold; flowering is long (about three weeks). It is a cross-pollinated plant; in indoor conditions, artificial pollination with a soft brush or cotton wool is necessary.

In closed ground it blooms and bears fruit in the third or fourth year of life.

In October, the leaves of the banana tree turn yellow and fall off. Young leaves appear in May, after flowering. The flowers are solitary, formed in last year's leaf axils. Formed in March – May. A flower consists of several pistils, so each color is capable of producing several fruits (up to 9 pieces).

The flowers are male and female, but the plant is not capable of self-pollination. For this reason, when growing pawpaws, cross-pollination will have to be carried out, and this will require 2 trees.

Pollination should be done when the pollen turns brown and becomes loose. You should also pay attention to the ends of the pistils - they should become sticky and green.

The fruits of the banana tree ripen within a month. They contain up to 14 large black-brown seeds, arranged in two rows.

And it is extremely rarely affected by diseases.

Types and varieties of pawpaws

Three-lobed pawpaw (A. triloba) is often grown indoors. Its flowers are pollinated artificially. The plant is cross-pollinated, meaning two specimens are required to set fruit.

Growing pawpaw and propagation by seeds

When growing a banana tree, you need to take into account that it requires light, but young plants will need light shading in the first 2 years of life. Adults prefer to be in direct sunlight. Pawpaw seedlings develop slowly, but with increasing daylight hours (up to 16 hours), their growth rate increases: in three months, a young tree can grow up to 1.5 meters in height.

In summer you can take it out into the garden.

In winter, pawpaw enters deep dormancy. At this time, the plant is placed in a cool room, where it should spend at least 4 months. The optimal temperature in winter is 3-7 °C.

Freely tolerates dry indoor air.

The substrate should be prepared from turf and leaf soil, humus, peat and sand (2: 1: 1: 1: 0.5).

When caring for pawpaw, you need to water the plant regularly from spring to autumn, constantly keeping the soil moist; however, stagnation of water should be avoided. In winter - very economical watering. The soil should not dry out.

During the growth period, 2 times a month, fertilizing with complete mineral fertilizer is needed.

During active growth, pawpaw is fed every month with organic (manure, pond sludge), mineral (ash from straw or potato tops) and any complex fertilizers.

Pawpaw has fleshy, brittle roots, so it is not replanted, but rather transshipped. Up to 2-3 years annually, then once every 4-5 years. This is done in the spring, when the plant begins to grow. For good growth, a deep pot is necessary, since pawpaw has a developed root system.

Flowers and fruits of a banana tree are formed on last year's shoots, so the plants need to be pruned for replacement. In addition, sanitary pruning of branches is necessary.

Usage. Plant for warm, bright rooms, winter gardens.

Reproduction. Seeds and grafting onto seedlings of the pawpaw itself (the latter method is very complicated).

When growing azmina from seeds, planting material for good germination must undergo stratification at a temperature of 0–4 °C for 90–120 days. Seeds germinate within 7 weeks; When planted in the ground in late autumn, you can expect shoots in July next year. Young pawpaw sprouts have a sensitive root system, so it is not recommended to replant them.

Plants grown from seeds usually begin to bloom and bear fruit after 4–8 years, which depends on the quality of the seeds, variety and growing conditions. A grafted tree can begin to bloom in 2–3 years, but grafting pawpaw is very difficult.

The video “Growing Pawpaw” shows how to care for this plant:

Pawpaw (Asimina) is the only genus of deciduous shrubs and trees of the Annonaceae family that can withstand extratropical conditions. Six of the ten species are common in the southern part of the USA (Texas, Nebraska, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, Virginia), another one is in the east, some of them are found in Spain, Italy, France, Japan.

The three-lobed pawpaw (Asimina triloba), native to Canada (Ontario), has the best winter hardiness. The plant can withstand frosts down to -30 °C and is successfully cultivated in temperate climatic conditions bordering on subtropical. It also takes root well in central Russia.

Under natural conditions, pawpaw bushes grow to a height of 4-5 m, and trees can be fifteen meters high. On the site, growth is limited to 2-3 meters. The plant likes to settle along the banks of rivers; provided the soil is loose and moderately moist, in nature it forms almost impenetrable thickets. The trunk and shoots are covered with smooth gray bark; young branches are slightly pubescent.

The spreading crown forms a pyramidal shape. The elliptical leaves are narrow from the base, reaching 7 cm at the widest part, narrowing again towards the top, the length of the leaf is 20 cm. They are strong and hard to the touch, thanks to the glossy surface they seem artificial, thin lateral veins extend from the central vein. The front part of a young leaf has a bright green hue, and as it grows it darkens and acquires a grayish tint, the underside is a dull brick shade.

Winter hardiness of pawpaw

Pawpaw is unpretentious in care and cold-resistant (the tree can withstand temperatures down to -30 °C), but it can only be grown for fruiting in regions with a mild climate (Black Sea region, Crimea, Krasnodar Territory, Caucasus). The growing season, together with fruiting, lasts 160 days, so in the Moscow region, Volga region, Belarus, non-European part of Russia, pawpaw is cultivated as an ornamental foliage plant.

In central Russia, winter can be either warm or abnormally cold. It is advisable to cover young plants completely with a cardboard box, mulching the tree trunk circle with straw, wood shavings, and scraps of paper. It is advisable to wrap the base of the stem with a breathable material: spunbond, agril, burlap or a piece of nylon tights.

In an adult tree, clear the trunk circle of debris, place a mound of earth 25-30 cm high around the trunk, mulch the trunk circle with a layer of peat or humus 10 cm thick. When snow falls, rake it to the trunk, and as it settles, renew the snowdrift, breaking the crust. on the surface of the crust.

Flowering and fruiting of pawpaws

The leaves bloom only towards the end of spring; they are preceded by flowers, which open in mid-April. To prevent the corollas from suffering from returning spring frosts, nature protected them with a dense shell-casing. The flower is exotic and very decorative: a dense rounded milky core is framed by three inner and three outer petals. Their surface is dotted with veins, the color of the petal is dark scarlet, purple-violet, which makes them look like a tongue. The diameter of the corolla does not exceed 6 cm. The flowering period lasts about 20 days, an individual corolla lives for 7 days.

Each flower has several pistils, so it can bear from 3 to 9 fruits. If the purpose of cultivation is fruiting, at least two plants should be planted on the site for the pollination process. The flowers give off a slight odor reminiscent of rotting meat.

If the inflorescences fall off at the beginning of summer, it means they are not pollinated and will not bear fruit. In mid-summer there is a risk of losing part of the existing ovary if it is hot and dry. To achieve removable maturity, it takes 160 days at an ideal temperature of 18 ° C; they ripen faster in warmth. The banana tree bears fruit in September and early October.

Pawpaw fruits are similar in shape to papaya: oblong, angular, 5-15 cm long and 2-8 cm wide, weight varies between 50-350 g. Heat and drought negatively affect the size and weight. The skin is pale green or yellowish in color, very thin and easily removed, but is extremely susceptible to mechanical damage. The fruit is edible and has a taste reminiscent of a cross between banana, mango, feijoa and pineapple. The texture of the pulp is pasty, the color of butter, exudes the aroma of strawberries and cream, Americans compare it to custard. Elongated black-brown seeds with a shiny surface are neatly placed in it, there are 8-14 pieces in total.

Because of its fruit, the pawpaw goes by many other names: paw paw (similar to the papaya fruit), Nebraska banana, northern banana, dog banana, Mexican banana, poor man's banana.

Useful properties and productivity of pawpaw

Mineral and vitamin composition

The fruits are not only unusual in taste, but also very useful. Nutritional value is about 360 kcal per 100 g of weight, the same volume of weight contains 50-60 mg of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, calcium, carotene, phosphorus, copper, essential amino acids (tryptophan, arginine, lysine).

The fruits do not cause allergic reactions, but the high concentration of fructose and sucrose does not allow diabetics to eat them. Berries can be stored fresh for no more than 2-3 days, in the refrigerator - 5-6. The tender, tasty pulp is put into baked goods, added to creams, marmalade, ice cream are made from it, jam, preserves, compote can be prepared, but the shelf life does not exceed one month.

Medicinal properties of pawpaw

The medicinal properties of the plant were known to the ancient Indians. A decoction of pawpaw leaves was taken as a diuretic and anthelmintic, and an emetic was prepared from the seeds. The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiseptic properties of the northern banana have been scientifically proven. Taking medications prevents the development of tumors, including cancerous ones, and if present, inhibits their growth, slows down the aging process, and helps remove toxins and waste from the body.

Productivity of one tree

From one tree they harvest from 25 to 40 kg of crop. Fruits must be removed in time, not allowing them to fall off, since after damage they are not very stable, spoiled fruit acquires the taste of burnt coffee beans. The fragility of the fruit deprives us of the possibility of transportation. Definitely, pawpaw is not suitable for industrial cultivation. The only thing of interest is the cultivation of several trees in a personal garden plot.

Growing pawpaw in open ground

You can count on one hand the exotic fruit-bearing plants that can be grown in the variable climate of central Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Cultivating pawpaw involves some difficulties, but the unique taste of the fruit and the beauty of the exotic flowering definitely deserve it.

Firstly, the trunk and branches of the pawpaw are fragile, they can break under the weight of snow, from strong gusts of wind, and even a modest harvest of its own can become a heavy burden for the tree. Be sure to install support for the trunk, collect fruits in a timely manner, and remove the snow cap in winter.

Secondly, it's not easy. Seeds germinate with difficulty, some seedlings die; after transplantation into open ground, survival takes a long time. Fruiting begins from the 5-6th year of life, but for now the pawpaw will serve as a decorative foliage decoration for the site. It's good that the Nebraska banana lives for about half a century, you will definitely enjoy its fruits. Due to the peculiarity of the structure of the root system, pawpaw shoots are produced extremely rarely. You should adapt to propagation by grafting.

How to grow pawpaw from seeds

Please note: varietal characteristics are not inherited if the mother plant is a hybrid. Collect pawpaw seeds from the largest and always healthy fruits (without damage, mold or signs of rotting). Be sure to stratify the seeds, otherwise they will not germinate at all. After being removed from the fruit, they quickly lose moisture; send them for stratification immediately after collection.

• In a small container filled with a sand-peat mixture in a ratio of 1 to 1, sow several seeds, deepening them by 3-4 cm.
• Cover with a transparent bag and place in a cool, damp place where the temperature ranges from 0 to +4 °C (the vegetable section of the refrigerator is ideal).
• After 3-4 months, we take the container out of the refrigerator, remove the seeds from the substrate, soak them in a solution of a growth stimulator and plant them in separate pots with a mixture of sand and peat, planting them to a depth of 3 cm.
• If the seeds have already hatched, then there is no need to deepen them: carefully place them on the substrate and lightly sprinkle them with soil on top so as not to damage the roots.

In both options, spray the soil with a fine spray, cover the container tightly with glass or a transparent bag and place it on a bright windowsill, the air temperature should be at least 25 °C.

Unfriendly ones appear from 6 to 8 weeks. During this time, lift the glass/bag daily for ventilation and spray with a fine spray as necessary.

Grow the seedlings without shelter, water them moderately, and when they reach a height of 12-15 cm, plant them in separate pots. Transfer only one-year-old seedlings to open ground.

Vegetative propagation of pawpaws

The banana tree occasionally produces basal shoots. Experienced gardeners recommend digging up, and cutting the root connecting the shoot to the mother plant by 1/3, then you will need to cover it with earth again. This is done so that the root system of the shoot develops more actively. If such manipulation is not carried out, be sure to create greenhouse conditions for the planted sprout by covering it with a bag. The key to survival is regular, but not too much watering, and ventilate the greenhouse from time to time.

Reproduction by a piece of rhizome is allowed. We cut it off to a length of 8-10 cm and plant it in a mixture of sand and peat. We place it horizontally, deepening it 5 cm into the soil. Until next spring, we grow pawpaw seedlings at home: diffuse lighting, moderate watering, maintain the air temperature within 22-25 ° C.

Pawpaws require a certain skill, and such plants will bloom in the 2-3rd year. The scion is an absolutely healthy shoot tip 12-15 cm long, taken from a five-year-old tree. We cut the tip wedge-shaped, and straight on the rootstock.

We graft into the split: we make a cut 1.5 cm deep on the diameter of the rootstock, insert the scion there, the connection should be tight. We wrap it in several layers of polyethylene and fix it on top with electrical tape; we remove all the lower-lying side branches from the rootstock. Due to the high content of tannins, cuts quickly oxidize in air, so we act quickly. The scion takes 1.5-2 weeks to take root. This is evidenced by the formation of new leaves, and callus (a kind of influx of connective tissue) appears at the place of fixation.

Planting pawpaws in open ground

When to plant

The transplantation process is very stressful for the pawpaw, she is “sick” and in this state will not survive the coming winter in 1-2 months. Even in the southern regions, it is recommended to plant it exclusively in the spring after the threat of return frosts has passed.

Where to plant pawpaw

A place for growing pawpaw, as for any tree in principle, must be chosen once and for all. Pawpaw loves light and warmth, so plant it in sun-warmed areas without drafts or strong gusts of wind (remember the fragility of the crown).

Ideally, there is a fence or wall on the north side in the distance. The root system does not tolerate dampness and waterlogging of the soil. Lowlands, flooded areas and places where groundwater flows at a depth of less than 2 m are absolutely not suitable. The first two years after planting, trees may suffer from the rays of the scorching sun. It is recommended to spread a canopy over them made of a couple of layers of gauze or other white covering material.

Landing Features

There are no special requirements for the quality of the soil: it should be light, loose, slightly acidic (pH 5.0–7.0). In heavy loamy soil, pawpaw is also capable of growing, but the pace of development is slow, and you should not expect abundant fruiting. We prepare the planting hole in advance, approximately 3-3.5 weeks before transplantation.

We dig it out measuring 50 by 50 cm. Mix the top most fertile part of the excavated soil with compost or humus (pour in 1 10 liter bucket), add wood ash (1 liter jar), which can be replaced with 40-50 g of superphosphate and 20-30 g potassium sulfate.

If the soil is loamy and heavy, add an additional 2 buckets of coarse river sand; a layer of expanded clay or pebbles can be laid at the bottom of the planting hole. We pour the prepared soil mixture into the hole and wait for the earth to settle and settle.

1 hour before planting, water the seedling in the container generously to make it easier to remove the earthen ball (if the pot is peat, you can plant it with it). We transfer with maximum preservation of the earthen clod. To stimulate the appearance of root shoots, the seedling can be positioned at an angle of 40-45 °C.

When in loose soil, we deepen the root collar by 10-12 cm, in heavy loam - by 5-8 cm. The soil at the surface cannot be tamped, just press lightly around the stem with your palms. Water generously with 2-3 ten-liter buckets of water. After absorbing the liquid, mulch the tree trunk circle with humus or peat chips.

Pawpaw is not a self-pollinating plant, so it is advisable to plant at least two trees on the site. So, keep a distance of 3 meters between them, and 4-4.5 m between rows. You can pollinate manually, transferring pollen with a brush from one flower to another. The flowers emit a smell reminiscent of rotting meat, so they can attract flies that will help with pollination.

Caring for pawpaw in open ground

How to water

Although in the natural environment pawpaw prefers to grow along the banks of water bodies, stagnation of moisture in the area negatively affects the root system. In the garden it is watered only in extreme heat. Every 10-12 days, depending on the age, we apply from 4 to 7 ten-liter buckets of water under each tree. From the end of August we gradually reduce watering, and by mid-October we completely eliminate it.

Fertilizing and mulching

Never dig up the soil in the pawpaw tree trunk; it can be loosened as much as possible near the surface, going 2-3 cm deeper. Mulch will help maintain soil moisture and save time by saving the gardener from the need to loosen the soil surface after each watering. In the spring, carefully loosen the soil and pour a layer of compost or humus into the tree trunk circle (for an adult tree you will need 2-3 buckets with a volume of 10 liters). Every 2-3 years, add any nitrogen mineral fertilizer (ammonium sulfate, urea) to the mixture.

The tree reacts positively to fertilizing; it is allowed to use organic and mineral fertilizers, alternating them. If the planting hole is filled at planting, there will be enough food for the first couple of years. Then feed each spring (around mid-April) with a nitrogen-containing fertilizer. A solution of infusion of chicken manure, mullein, dandelion leaves or nettle greens is well suited for this. Throughout the season, feed with organic matter or complex mineral fertilizers for fruit trees (Master, Kemira Lux, Agros, Zdraven, Dobraya Sila, etc.). In frequency and proportions, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Trimming

Pruning pawpaws should be done in the spring. The plant bears fruit mainly on last year's shoots, so pruning for replacement is necessary: ​​cut half of the shoots with flower buds by ¼ or 1/3 (for fruiting), the rest, the so-called growth ones, are shortened to the 2-3rd bud. For sanitary purposes, we cut off dry, frozen and damaged branches. Formative pruning is not required.

Azimina at home

Pawpaw is able to grow and bear fruit indoors. Even special dwarf varieties up to half a meter high have been bred; of course, their fruits are small (about 4 cm long), but no less tasty. The growth of other varieties is regulated by pinching the top, achieving a tree height of 1.5-2 m. If the dimensions of the room allow, there is no need to restrain growth.

Illumination

The light-loving pawpaw needs bright light throughout the year. Plants up to three years old are susceptible to direct sunlight, so place the flower pot on a southeast or southwest windowsill; in winter, it is advisable to move it to the south side. By the way, to speed up the growth rate, you can use additional illumination with phytolamps or fluorescent lamps, extending the daylight hours to 16 hours. In just 3 months the tree will grow half a meter.

Ventilation

An influx of fresh air will not be amiss. For the summer season, “relocate” the pawpaw to an open balcony, veranda or terrace, protecting it from strong gusts of wind and rain. If you leave it indoors, maintain the temperature within 22-25 °C and ventilate regularly.

Watering and air humidity

The plant prefers rare but sufficiently abundant watering; the soil surface should dry out between procedures. In hot weather we water almost every 2 days, otherwise once a week.

The level of air humidity in the room is not a critical indicator for pawpaw. Still, occasionally spray the tree with a fine spray until there are no ovaries or fruits. Wipe off dust from the leaves with a damp sponge.

For spraying and watering, it is necessary to use softened water (rain, melt, filtered or tap water that has been standing for at least 48 hours).

Feeding

From April to the end of September, pawpaw is fed every 10-12 days. Due to the smell, organic matter is rarely used indoors; it is more convenient to use complex mineral fertilizers for fruit crops. When the flower pot is outside, you can add organic matter; only water the tree about 1 hour before adding it, so as not to burn the roots.

Transfer

The pawpaw tree takes transplantation painfully; it’s good that it can be planted in a pot “to grow.” Make sure there are drainage holes and place a layer of pebbles, expanded clay, clay shards or small stones on the bottom. Replant if absolutely necessary, transferring it along with a lump of earth. Immediately water with warm water, then do not moisten the soil for 5-7 days. As a substrate, we prepare a mixture of humus, leaf and turf soil in a ratio of 2:1:1. For each liter of mixture, add a handful of river sand and 1 tbsp. spoon of wood ash.

Rest period

In winter, the tree must be kept at a temperature of 3-8 °C, but the lighting requirements remain the same. There is no need to feed; moisten the soil every 3-4 weeks.

Diseases and pests of pawpaw

Pawpaw does not suffer from pests and diseases, but a gardener can cause harm on his own by frequent and/or abundant watering. The danger is root rot. Signs of damage: limp, browning leaves, dark spots on the fruits, the base of the trunk becomes blackened and “wet,” the surface of the soil becomes covered with mold, and a rotten smell emanates from it. Watering must be stopped completely. Two or three times with an interval of 4-7 days it is necessary to treat with a solution of a fungicidal preparation such as Skor, Topaz, Kuprozan, Abiga-Pik. It is possible to save the plant only in the early stages. If the damage is severe, the tree will have to be dug up and burned. The garden area must be treated with a solution of copper sulfate at a concentration of 2%.

The high immunity of the plant is due to the high content of tannins. To avoid possible troubles, avoid waterlogging the soil, and in order to prevent root rot, water the pawpaw monthly with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Types and varieties of pawpaws

In its homeland, the Nebraska banana is well known and loved. The decorative value of the tree and the original taste of the fruit have become known to gardeners in Asia, Europe and Russia recently. Even a little growing experience made it possible to identify the nuances of cultivation, care, reproduction, and harvesting.

Of the dozens of representatives of the genus, only the three-lobed pawpaw will take root in the conditions of central Russia. The best varieties bred by American breeders are Davis, Rebecca Gold, Pennsylvania Gold, Pennsylvania, Sunflower. Domestic breeders gave us the Michurinka and Sochinskaya varieties.

Azimina (lat. Asimina), or pow-pow- a genus of flowering plants in the Annonaceae family, which includes 8 species, mostly distributed in nature in the United States. Pawpaw is also called the banana tree or American papaya (paw paw), since the fruits of all three plants have some similarities. For the sake of these edible fruits, the three-lobed pawpaw, or triloba pawpaw (Asimina triloba), introduced into cultivation in 1736, is grown in gardens. It is grown in regions with warm climates, for example, in Italy, France, Japan and Spain. Pawpaw also grows in Ukraine, mainly in its southern regions. Azimina in Russia is found mostly in the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions, although there are known cases of its successful fruiting in Orenburg. In addition to the recognized taste qualities, the medicinal properties of pawpaw are also of interest.

Planting and caring for pawpaw (in brief)

• Landing: in early spring.
• Bloom: in April for three weeks.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• The soil: loose, moisture- and breathable, slightly acidic reaction.
• Watering: during the season of active growth - regular and plentiful; in the fall, watering is stopped.
• Feeding: from the second year of life in the spring, with complex mineral or organic fertilizer in liquid form.
• Reproduction: seeds, root shoots, grafting and parts of rhizomes.
• Diseases: root rot.
• Pests: almost not affected.
• Properties: the plant has healing properties.

Read more about growing pawpaw below.

Azimina - description

Pawpaw triloba is a deciduous tree, 5 to 8 m high, with smooth gray-brown bark and an evenly leafy, wide-pyramidal crown. Young shoots of the plant are covered with pubescence. Oblong-ovate, tapering to a short, thick petiole and pointed towards the apex, light green leathery leaves can reach a length of 22-25 and a width of 7-12 cm. The underside of the young leaves of the plant is covered with pubescence, and the upper side is glossy. Along with the leaves, in their axils, attractive bell-shaped brownish-purple flowers open on the shoots of last year in April or May.

Pawpaw fruits - juicy cylindrical berries with curled ends - ripen in early to mid-autumn. They are collected in fruit clusters of 2-9 berries, reach a length of 7-9, a width of 4-5 cm, and can weigh from 60 to 200 g. The fruits, painted in a dark shade of green, lighten to a pale yellow hue as they ripen. and then turn brown. Pawpaw berries are covered with a thin shell, inside of which there is a delicate light yellow, orange or creamy pulp with a very sweet taste, reminiscent of both mango and banana, and emitting a strawberry-pineapple aroma. Inside the pulp, arranged in two rows, ripen 10-12 dark brown seeds, flattened on the sides, reaching a length of 2.5 cm.

Planting pawpaws in the ground

Pawpaw requires at least 160 frost-free days to ripen its fruit. For the first two years, young trees need to be shaded from strong sun. but with age, plants develop a need for bright light, and they grow and bear fruit well in direct rays.

The composition of the soil for pawpaw does not play a big role, but it is desirable that it be slightly acidic, loose, moisture- and breathable. Of course, the pawpaw tolerates heavy soil, but in this case, when planting, it is advisable to lay a thick layer of drainage material in the hole.

Two-year-old pawpaw seedlings are best accepted and further developed, which, when planted, are placed at a distance of at least 3 meters from each other, maintaining row spacing of 5 m wide. The planting hole should reach 60-70 cm in diameter and be 50-60 cm deep.

To the soil mixture with which you will fill the pit, you need to add 5-10 kg of humus or compost, a little wood ash, sand and mix everything thoroughly. Place at the bottom of the pit drainage layer of broken bricks or gravel 15-20 cm thick and pour a heap of soil mixture on it.

Having placed the seedling in the center of the hole on a mound of nutrient soil, straighten its roots and fill the remaining space with the same soil, lightly compact the surface around the seedling and water it generously. When the water is absorbed, the root circle needs to be mulched humus, peat or bark.

Caring for pawpaw in the garden

At the beginning of spring, before the growing season begins, paw paws are pruned, during which broken, frostbitten, diseased or improperly growing shoots are removed and the crown is shaped. Pawpaw blooms from April for three weeks.

During the season of active growth, pawpaw needs regular and abundant watering, but you need to make sure that it is not excessive, otherwise the roots of the plant will begin to rot. In autumn, when the dormant period begins, watering is stopped. After watering, the soil in the tree trunk circle is loosened, while simultaneously clearing the root area of ​​weeds. Water for irrigation is used that has been settled and heated in the sun.

In the photo: Pawpaw flower

Pawpaw in open ground requires feeding only from the second year of life: For the first season, the organic matter that was added to the soil during planting is enough for her. In April, that is, at the beginning of the second season, a solution of a mineral complex with a high content of phosphorus and nitrogen is added to the soil under the pawpaw. If you prefer to fertilize the soil in the garden with organic fertilizers, then pond pawpaw or manure are most suitable for pawpaw.

The yield of pawpaw can be increased by artificial cross-pollination between genetically heterogeneous plant varieties. To do this, at least two trees must grow on the site, and then you can use a brush to transfer pollen from the flowers of one tree to the flowers of another. This technique allows you to at least double the fruit yield.

Since flies play an active role in pollination of pawpaws, it is advisable to hang pieces of rotting meat in the garden at different heights during flowering.

Three-lobed pawpaw is cold-resistant and can withstand frosts down to -29˚C, so growing pawpaw in open ground does not require protective measures before the onset of winter. The plant's flower buds, which appear in mid-spring, are covered with a dense shell that protects them from frost.

Reproduction of pawpaws

Pawpaw reproduces generatively - by seeds, and vegetatively - by parts of the rhizome, basal shoots and grafting.

In the photo: Pawpaw fruits on a tree

Pawpaw seeds before sowing, it is necessary to undergo stratification at a temperature of 0-4 ˚C for 3-4 months, and only after that 1-2 seeds are sown to a depth of 2-3 cm in peat pots with seedling soil: seedlings have a very sensitive root system, therefore It is advisable not to disturb her once again by picking or transplanting. Contain crops at a temperature of 18-22 ˚C.

If you decide to sow pawpaw directly into the ground, then do this before winter, in October, and in this case there is no need to engage in preliminary stratification: the seed will be hardened in the soil. Seeds sown in pots can germinate in as little as 7 weeks, while winter garden crops will sprout only next spring. In the first year, seedlings grow up to 10-15 cm. Pawpaw from seeds will begin to bear fruit only after 5-6 years.

A piece of rhizome for propagation of pawpaw can be broken off from the base of a tree. It is planted in the hole, sprinkled with a nutrient substrate, and in a little over a month you can already expect the first shoots to appear. In the same way, you can plant root shoots if your pawpaw forms them.

In the photo: How pawpaw blooms

Vaccination of pawpaws carried out using the “split” method, using lignified cuttings as a scion. The rootstock is split to a depth of 1-1.5 cm, and a pointed cut of the scion is placed in the gap so that the cambial layers of both parts coincide. The grafting site is wrapped with film to protect it from moisture. You should know that Grafting is the only method that preserves the varietal characteristics of pawpaw.

Pests and diseases of pawpaw

Pawpaw, which is resistant to diseases and pests, can be affected by root rot as a result of excessive watering, causing the growth and development of the plant to slow down and the leaves to turn brown. Therefore, it is very important that pawpaw hydration is balanced. The pawpaw is extremely rarely affected by viral and bacterial infections, as well as harmful insects.

Pawpaw collection and storage

At the end of summer or early autumn, pawpaw fruits stop increasing in size and begin to ripen. Ripe fruits emit a strong aroma, become soft, and their green skin turns yellow. If you are going to store the pawpaw fruits for a while, you will need to remove them a week before they ripen, before they fall off on their own.

Pawpaw fruits cannot withstand long-term storage: they can be stored in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator for up to three weeks, and in room conditions - only 3-4 days, so most often they are frozen or processed: jam and compotes are made from them.

Pawpaw fruits also do not tolerate transportation well, so they must be transported unripe, trying to protect them from mechanical damage. The fruits will be stored better and longer if each one is wrapped in paper.

Types and varieties of pawpaws

There are eight species of pawpaw in nature, one of them is a natural hybrid. Only pawpaw triloba, or three-lobed pawpaw, is cultivated, but thanks to the tireless work of breeders, today there are over 70 cultivars of this plant. The most famous of them are:

• Davis– a plant with high quality aromatic fruits with yellow sweet pulp;
• Martin– a variety characterized by cold resistance and high quality fruits;
• Overlease– pawpaw, the fruits of which are similar in quality to the Davis variety;
• Victoria– a variety with fruits weighing up to 380 g with sweet and aromatic yellow pulp.

Such varieties of pawpaw triloba as Autumn Surprise, Dessertnaya, Strickler, Sunflower, Prima, Balda, Zimmerman, Potomac, Taylor and others are also in demand among gardeners.

Properties of pawpaw - harm and benefit

Useful properties of pawpaw

Pawpaw fruits, also called Mexican bananas, contain vitamins C and A, which have antioxidant and rejuvenating properties, so the pulp of the fruit is used not only for food, but also for preparing facial masks. In addition to vitamins, fruits contain mineral salts of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and potassium, amino acids, sugars, fats, pectin and fiber. Pawpaw has a unique antimicrobial and antitumor effect: acetogenin contained in the fruit helps prevent the development of certain types of cancer cells and stop the growth of already formed tumors. Pawpaw extract has a strengthening effect on the immune system, increasing its protective function, protecting body cells from free radicals and the negative effects of stressful situations.

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