Latin Name:
Asimina
Physical Description:
Pawpaw trees have serrated, ridged, matte green leaves that come to a point. The northern, cold tolerant ones are deciduous, and the southern ones are evergreen. The trees tend to cluster in wet places, like river bottoms. The fruit resembles fat, green bananas, and has large blackish-brown leaves.
Usage:
Pawpaw fruit is described as being similar to a banana cream pie, and it can be used as a replacement for banana in any recipe.
Factoids:
Pawpaw is native to North America, and produces the largest indigenous fruit. It is in the same family as the cherimoya, soursop and sweetsop, and it is the only one not to grow in the tropics.
