Paw paw finally flourishes

RGP 02Apr15 -

Two decades ago, Graeme Bronson got a North American paw paw (asimina triloba) plant from an outfit in Auckland.

It spent the first three years of its life in a pot, before being planted at Mr Bronson's Te Kaha property.

"It never really did very well," Mr Bronson said. "I think it may have been lacking a little TLC for some time."

The plant was left to its own devices and, over the years, did not fruit, but grew pups (shoots) in the ground close by.

"I kept mowing the pups until I did a bit of research and learned paw paw plants are supposed to grow in paw paw groves - hence the pups."

For the past two years, Mr Bronson has done a lot more nurturing and become "paw paw savvy" - and it's paying off.

This year, and for the first time, the 20-year-old plant has borne fruit - well, one fruit, anyway.

"While there were quite a few flowers, only one managed to stay on the tree and become a fruit."

Mr Bronson believes Cyclone Pam was responsible for the paw paw's premature departure from the tree and, after it fell, the Bronsons waited 10 days before finally slicing it open.

"I was really surprised to find nine massive seeds in the fruit. From my research, I was expecting only two or three."

He said the paw paw had an interesting taste, "a bit like a cross of banana, mango and ginger".

As well as paw paw, the Bronsons grow banana and cherimoya (custard apple) at their home.

"I can't count the times I thought about pulling out that tree until it started flowering three years ago," Mr Bronson says. "Now I'm hoping there will be more paw paw to show off next year."