Growing Your Own Pawpaws
The article Fred Paillet presented about pawpaws should be required reading for every Ozark Society member. My estimate is that 95% of the population would not be able to identify this tree, and perhaps 99.99% have never had the pleasure of tasting the fruit. It’s time for a change. It’s time to grow your own and share the bounty. I had my first taste of a pawpaw on a hike down in the bowels of the West Prong of the Mountain Fork of the Mulberry River about 1988. I was with Dr. Compton, and others, searching for virgin timber on a warm September day. We turned to go up Wellcave Hollow when Dr. Compton pointed out lots of pawpaws on the forest floor. Being new to the Ozarks and never having seen a Pawpaw before, I picked one up for a taste. What a pleasant surprise on a September day, especially when you are thirsty. What did I just taste? Mango? Banana? Peach? From that point on I was hooked on pawpaws. Later I found out that Dr. Compton had a grove of pawpaws growing on his property and he suggested I take a few and plant them at my [...]