Pawpaw trees were discovered in 1541 by the Spanish explorer, Hernando Desoto, on an excursion into the Mississippi Valley, and he sent samples of this plant back to Europe.
William Bartram in 1776 stated in his botanical book, Travels, that he found pawpaw trees growing on the Alatamaha River in Georgia and in east Florida, which he described as, Annona incarna, the name later was updated by modern taxonomists. The fruit the size of a small cucumber containing a yellow pulp of the consistence of a hard custard, and a very delicious, wholesome food.
This fruit is agreeably flavored and considered to be the largest native fruit of North America. The pawpaw trees are said to be endangered or threatened in the states of New York and New Jersey, in the forests where it grows naturally.
The pawpaw tree grows across most of the eastern United States as a native tree. Mature pawpaw trees produce fruits 2″ wide by 10″ long, looking and tasting very much like a banana. The fruit is liked immensely by most people and may be purchased at many outdoor markets in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, etc. The pawpaw pulp has the consistency of creamy custard...