Papaya (pawpaw)

Papaya, Carica papaya, is an herbaceous perennial in the family Caricaceae grown for its edible fruit. The papaya plant is tree-like,usually unbranched and has hollow stems and petioles. The leaves are palmately lobed, spirally arranged and clustered at the growing tip of the trunk. Papaya trees can be male, female or hermaphrodite and the type of inflorescence produced is reflective of this. Male trees produce many flowers on long, pendulous panicles while female trees produce either solitary flowers of clusters of a few flowers which are yellow-green in color. Hermaphrodite trees produce bisexual flowers. The papaya fruit is a large fleshy berry with smooth green skin that ripens to yellow or orange. The flesh of the fruit is thick and succulent and ranges in color from yellow to red or orange. The fruit contains many black wrinkled seeds. Papaya trees range in height from 2–10 m (6.6–33 ft) and can live for up to 25 years. Plantations are usually replaced every 3 years to ensure maximum productivity. Papaya may also be referred to as pawpaw and is believed to originate from the Caribbean region on Central America.


Papaya fruits are commonly eaten fresh. The may also be processed into jams, jellies and juices are dried and candied. Green fruits and young leaves can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable.


Basic requirements Papaya is a tropical plant and will grow optimally at temperatures between 21 and 33°C (69.8–91.4°F) in areas with no frost. Papaya can be grown in a range of soils as long as there is adequate drainage but will grow optimally in light, well-draining soils with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. Papaya requires well distributed rainfall of about 4 inches per month. In areas with low rainfall, trees should be provided with supplemental irrigation. Trees are very sensitive to flooding and water-logged soils should be be avoided. Papaya is also sensitive to high winds and the tall trees can be easily toppled. Windy areas should be avoided for planting. Propagation Papaya is propagated from seed due to the labor involved in producing cuttings. Seeds are usually sown in small containers or nursery beds in sterilized soil. It is usual to sow 3–4 seeds per container and seeds can take 3–4 weeks to germinate depending on temperature.. Seedlings are transplanted after approximately 2 months when the reach approximately 20 cm (8 in) in height and possess 3–4 leaves. Seedlings are commonly planted on hills or ridges to aid drainage and should be spaced 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) apart. General care and maintenance Papaya seedlings are very susceptible to competition from weeds and the areas around the trees should be kept weed-free. A layer of mulch around the plants can successfully suppress weeds. Papaya requires regular fertilizer applications to meet the nutrient requirements for fruit production. In commercial plantations, fertilizer is usually applied 2–4 times per year. In the home garden, the addition of 1/4 cup of a balanced fertilizer every 14 days is usually sufficient. As the trees mature, the amount of fertilizer should be increased. When trees reach 7 to 8 months, 1–2 lbs of a complete fertilizer should be provided every 2 months. Papaya trees should be watered regularly, particularly during hot, dry periods. Papaya trees do not require pruning but it is good practice to remove any dead leaves from the tree. Harvesting Papaya fruits generally require 22–26 weeks to mature. The fruits can be picked when 1/5 of the fruit surface has turned from green to yellow but leaving them on the tree longer will increase the sugar content of the fruit. Fruit can be twisted or snapped from the tree or cut using a sharp knife.


CABI Crop Protection Compendium. (2008). Carica papaya (papaw) datasheet. Available at: http://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/13392. [Accessed 03 March 15]. Paid subscription required. Crane, J. H. Papaya growing in the Florida home landscape. University of Florida IFAS Extension. Available at: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG05400.pdf. [Accessed 03 March 15]. Free to access. Nishina, M., Zee, F., Ebesu, R., Arakaki, A., Hamasaki, R., Fukuda, S, Nagata, N., Chia, C. L., Nishijima, W., Mau, R. & Uchida, R. (2000). Papaya production in Hawaii. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Available at: http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/F_N-3.pdf. [Accessed 03 March 15]. Free to access. Ploetz, R. C., Zentmyer, G. A., Nishijima, W. T., Rohrbach, K. G. & Ohr, H. D. (eds) (1994). Compendium of Tropical Fruit Diseases. American Phytopathological Society Press. Available at: http://www.apsnet.org/apsstore/shopapspress/Pages/41620.aspx. Available for purchase from APS Press.