Ask a Naturalist: What is a paw paw tree?

Discovery Place Nature

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We are so lucky here to have a forest of old, majestic trees in Fort Wild, our outdoor play area.

I can’t name every single tree we have in the area but some common ones you might see include pine, walnut, hickory, oak, sweet gum and maples, among many others. You can tell these trees apart by looking at their leaves, bark, fruit and even buds.

But I want to talk about one very specific tree on the Paw Paw Nature Trail. It is what we named the trail after, the paw paw tree.

This tree is not very well known but it is a beautiful native species of the eastern United States. Though it does not grow very tall, the paw paw plays a huge part in our history and continues to be important for animals today.

The largest edible fruit native to America comes from this tree, but you won’t find it in grocery stores.

The paw paw fruit is commonly described as a mix between banana and mango. It has been called the “poor man’s banana” or the “custard apple” due to its creamy pulp.

Cherokee and other Native American tribes had paw paw’s as a staple in their diet and are responsible for its widespread range today. The twigs and leaves of the paw paw tree also contain extracts that have insecticidal properties.

The paw paw tree is vitally important to a certain species of butterfly; it acts as the host plant for the zebra swallowtail.

Butterflies are very specific about where they lay their eggs. This is because caterpillars only eat certain leaves to grow.

You may have heard a lot about the plight of the monarch butterfly due to the lack of milkweed in the United States. Milkweed is the monarch butterfly’s host plant, so it will only lay eggs on this plant. In the same way, it is critical to have paw paw trees around for the zebra swallowtail to complete their life cycle.

The leaves of the paw paw tree are distinct and can easily be identified. Look at the pictures above for reference and then come take a walk around the Paw Paw Nature Trail to see if you can spot this important tree.

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