What tree makes this unusual-looking flower?
This is the flower of the Hoosier banana. Not familiar with the Hoosier banana? Well, you may be more familiar with the pawpaw. The pawpaw is one of my favorite trees for several reasons. First, it is the largest native fruit to North America and a must have for any gardener or farmer that wants native plants in their yard or farm. If you can find a ripe fruit before the deer, raccoons, possums, or birds do, then you have stumbled upon one of the most interestingly delicious fruits on the earth. I would describe the flavor as a smorgasbord of tropical fruit infusions in a banana texture feel. Many folks will make breads out of the fruits, similar to banana bread. The tree itself is very slow-growing, so be patient if you plant them. The leaves of the tree are a larval food source for the zebra swallowtail butterfly, which is an amazing butterfly to see fluttering around. As the famous song “Way Down Yonder in the PawPaw Patch” implies, pawpaws grow in patches in the understory of the forest, usually in low lying areas. If you go to the Congaree National Park, you will see lots of pawpaw patches from the boardwalk…that must be where Suzy, Mary, Bill, and Fido are… I hope you clicked on the link to listen to one of my favorite tunes and the only song I know of that talks about this amazing native fruit. Now that you’ve clicked the link, you’ll have “pickin’ up pawpaws, put ’em in ya pocket” in your head all day long.
This week’s question is from Zack Snipes, Coastal Fruit and Vegetable Agent.
The South Carolina Grower 