Pawpaw also contains nutrients that benefit bone health, including manganese. “Vitamin C helps fight against free-radical damage by slowing the oxidization of cells, and also helps with the absorption of iron,” of which pawpaw also provides a good source. “Pawpaw packs nearly 20% of your daily value of vitamin C in just under four ounces,” says Robin DeCicco, holistic nutritionist with the Graf Center for Integrative Medicine at Englewood Hospital. Encouraging pawpaw populations helps build wildlife corridors that can extend the range and habitability of this unique butterfly species.”īeyond providing a healthy food source and habitat, the pawpaw offers some sweet health benefits for those lucky enough to enjoy them. “In addition, the pawpaw is the only larval food plant for the zebra swallowtail. “What’s interesting about pawpaw’s burgundy flowers is that the color mimics carrion to attract pollinators that are typically decomposers, like beetles and flies,” says Mary Ann Borge, founder of Lambertville Goes Wild. While the appeal of the pawpaw tree is its fruit, it also plays an interesting (and essential) role when it comes to native pollinators. “YOU CAN TELL ARE RIPE WHEN THEY’RE SOFT ENOUGH TO HAVE FALLEN OFF THE TREE, OR INTO YOUR HAND WITH MINIMAL EFFORT WHEN PICKED.” “You can tell they are ripe when they’re soft enough to have fallen off the tree, or into your hand with minimal effort when picked,” she says, adding that the best place to find pawpaw saplings is at your local native plant nursery. “You won’t find them in grocery stores or farmers’ markets because they are very soft, bruise easily, and therefore are very hard to store,” Eckel says. Fall is the best time to enjoy pawpaw in New Jersey as the fruit fully ripen in September and October. Instead, pick from trees purposely planted for consumption,” she says, adding that growing your own pawpaw also increases the chances of enjoying the fruit at its peak. “It’s not advisable to forage wild stands of rare species because it’s a disservice to the wildlife populations that depend on them. However, people are having success planting it in their landscape or home gardens, for good reasons. “It’s not too often you’ll find it growing in the wild,” she says. “Reserve the large, dark seeds, and plant them to help wild populations continue.” Eckel explains that pawpaw grows in colonies comprised of a single grove, all dependent on one origin tree. “The best way to eat a pawpaw is to slice it in half and scoop out the pudding-like fruit with a spoon,” she says. and Canada-with New Jersey and Pennsylvania making up their easternmost reach, partially due to our warming climate.Įckel describes the fruit as tasting like banana custard. Pawpaw trees themselves do not grow in the tropics, but in the Midwest and northeastern U.S. “The pawpaw is a member of the custard apple family, species of plants typically found in tropical regions, and known for their large, pulpy fruits,” says Randi Eckel of Toadshade Wildflower Farm in Frenchtown. The fruit, though nearly the size of a mango, is not easy to find, yet has a flavor that’s hard to forget. It may come as a surprise that a tropical-tasting fruit like the pawpaw ( Asimina triloba ) grows right here in New Jersey. Pawpaw: A native fruit brimming with benefits
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