Papaya tree is a beloved fruit that appeals to people from around the globe for its delightful sweetness. Not only can it be enjoyed as is, but papaya can also be added into many recipes for added enjoyment and versatility. What’s even better about papaya’s sweet nature is that it’s relatively easy to cultivate–both indoors and outdoors!
If you want to grow papaya on your own, first you’ll need the seeds. These can be purchased online or from an agro-store and, once un-sown, should be planted either in a pot or the ground. Watering and fertilizing it regularly after that will encourage fruit development over several months. When growing papayas it is essential that they get plenty of sun as well as keeping the soil moist at all times; some trees can reach heights up to 15 feet so make sure there’s plenty of space for growth!
If you’re searching for the tastiest and healthiest fruit to plant in your garden, papayas are an excellent option. This fruit has become beloved around the world and can easily be grown. Plant papayas in subtropical or tropical regions as they grow to heights of 30 feet depending on which variety. Originating from Mexico as well as northwestern South America, papayas have spread across North America including Florida, Texas, Southern California and Hawaii.
- This is the ultimate guide to cultivating papaya!
- Two Types of Papaya
- Papaya comes in two varieties: Hawaiian “yellow papaya” and Mexican or “red papaya.”
Yellow or Hawaiian papayas have a yellow skin when fully ripe, typically having an oval shape and weighing around 1 pound. The flesh can range in color from bright pink to vibrant orange depending on the variety, but when fully ripe they have an incredible tropical taste. Yellow papaya trees rarely reach more than 8 feet tall when harvested.
Red or Mexican papayas typically have a red skin when ripe. These pear-to-oval fruits tend to be larger than Hawaiian papayas, with lengths up to 15 inches and weights of 10 tons or more. Their flesh can vary in colour from orange, yellow and pink; red papayas tend to have more sugar content than other varieties; they may reach heights of up to 12 feet in some tropical areas and even reach 30 feet high!
When is the ideal time to enjoy papaya?
Fresh papayas will emit an aromatic scent when squeezed. Mature papayas have a tender, juicy flesh that feels similar to butter. In the middle, there lies an edible black seed about the size of caviar that imparts an astringent taste.
Papaya that is unripe and not green is commonly referred to as “green papaya”. These papayas have an unpleasant bitter taste.
Discover Papaya
Common names: Papaya (English), Pawpaw (Spanish), Malakor, Look, Ma Kuai the (Thai), Du Du (Vietnamese).
- Family: Caricaceae
- Native Range: Southern Mexico to Central America
Information: Papaya trees can grow up to 33 feet (10m) tall. Their leafy branches form a spiral on top of a circular trunk, marked by leaves similar to palm tree trunks. These leaves are palmately-lobed and last 6-8 months before new ones emerge each week during warm weather conditions.
Livespan: Papaya trees may reach 20 years of age. When young, the tree is single-trunked; as it matures and continues to grow older, its trunk becomes multi-trunked.
Plant Sexuality The papaya plant can be classified as female, male or hermaphrodite (bisexual). Fruits are produced by either bisexual or female plants. Male plants have tiny tubular yellow flowers with 10 anthers; female plants display large, whitish-yellow blooms with an ovary towards the end of their flower cymes; bisexual flowers bloom perfectly on small axils located along their trunk for example.
Fruits: Papaya fruit is a fleshy berry with an even, smooth pulp surrounding an open cavity containing numerous small seeds. Fruit can vary in shape from globose to ovoid or obovoid and ranges in length from 3-18 inches and weight from 1/2-22 pounds.
Finding the ideal climate and location to grow papaya
Papayas thrive best when temperatures range between 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit. You can grow papayas in USDA zones 9-12, though be warned: frost temperatures below 29 degrees F will cause irreparable harm and even death to the tree; roots grow slowly at temperatures below 60degF while flowers cease to bloom when temperatures exceed 90 degrees (32degC) or fall below 59degF (15degC). Plant papayas both in full sun and shade – though keeping in mind that shade will likely result in less sweetened fruit.
Papayas thrive in hot, sunny locations with plenty of sunshine. Choose a spot facing south against walls that reflect heat to maximize growth potential; avoid planting papaya where there is always a breeze or places which collect cold air as this can damage fruit or even topple the tree. Papaya trees require well-drained sandy soil; waterlogged soil cannot sustain them for more than one day. In wetter areas, plant papaya on a mound for adequate drainage; preferring soil pH values between 5.5 or 6.5 for best results.
Selecting the ideal papaya plant
Hawaiian papayas boast a deliciously sweet tropical taste and weigh about 1 kilogram. They can grow to be up to 8 feet high. Red-skinned Mexican papayas have a more subdued sweetness; these fruits may weigh 10 to twelve pounds and grow in pots between 6 inches and 2 feet high (unless the nursery offers plants between 6 inches and 2 feet tall in one or three gallon containers). Avoid tall plants grown in small pots since these roots will soon take hold!
Papaya Pollination
Papaya plants come in three genders: female, male and hermaphrodite. Some trees produce only male flowers and cannot bear fruit while others require pollination for fruit to become edible; still others possess both genders of flowers but may self-pollinate. As for papaya sex patterns throughout its lifetime it appears this may be affected by drought as well as temperature variations; male flowers seem more prevalent at high temperatures.
Papaya plants can self-pollinate (bisexual plant) or cross pollinate. Female flowers receive pollen from insects or windborne pollen. Common pollinators include honey bees, wasps midges, thrips surphid flies and butterflies; hand pollination is one method to guarantee pollination takes place and fruit sets. Female trees’ fruits tend to be larger, rounder with thinner walls than those from hermaphroditic plants while bisexual seeds usually have smaller seeds with smaller cavities than their male counterparts. Bisexual male plants produce pear shaped but low quality fruits from bisexual male plants as well.
