Pawpaw. This native produces a fascinating deep purple flower to 2" in diameter in April followed by an edible fruit up to 5" in length. This was a favorite food of native Americans which makes a small tree to 20 ft. and has been long overlooked as a landscape plant. In its native habitats, it tends to be an understory small tree. One might find some named selections of this on the market which were selected for their superior fruit qualities. This native produces a fascinating deep purple flower to 2" in diameter in April followed by an edible fruit to 5" in length. For fruit production, one must have two or more genotypes (of different genetic makeup), for cross-pollination purposes. These are each different seedlings, so they will meet that requirement. The first photo is courtesy of Duke University. The last photo is courtesy of Keith Mearns.
Zones 5-9
