Pawpaw

pawpaw, (Asimina triloba), also spelled papaw, deciduous tree or shrub of the custard apple family (Annonaceae) and its edible fruit. The pawpaw—native to the United States from the Atlantic coast north to New York state and west to Michigan and Kansas—boasts the largest tree-borne fruit native to North America. The fruit can have a tropical flavour, somewhat reminiscent of bananas and mango, and has a long history of use by Native Americans and early settlers. Much of the wild population was lost during colonial deforestation for agriculture. The fruit is easily bruised and has a short season and a short shelf-life. Commercial interest in the fruit waned in the 1900s, and the plant was largely relegated to foragers and hobbyists. There was a renewed interest in the pawpaw in the 21st century, and both professional and amateur growers sought to breed a sturdier fruit.