Paw Paw's

[Wendy]

I have a rainbow valley paw paw and a mountain paw paw - both of which are fruiting very well on 2 yr old plants. The mountain paw paw starts to go yellow when ripe and falls off the tree. The rainbow valley paw paw hasnt as yet and the fruit are a lot bigger (250cm long at least) and still green. I had one fall off recently in wild weather, after a bit in my fruit bowl with bananas it felt like it was getting soft in the centre so cut it open only to find it wasnt ripe. (see pic)

 

Does anyone know how I can tell if the rainbow paw paw is ripe and if there is any way of ripening the fruit off the tree?

 

[Denise]

hi there, I have both of these trees too. My Rainbow Valley Pawpaw ripen on the tree and are easily double the size of the Mountain Pawpaw. They go bright yellow, slightly more orangey than the Mountain Pawpaw and smell very tropical.

In my experience this is, however, a great promise that only half delivers because inside the flesh is nothing like a tropical pawpaw - mainly because it is very narrow so not much of it. That said it juices up wonderfully and is great over icecream, fruit salad or with other juices, much more fragrant and tasty than its mountain pawpaw cousin.

For me, they only last a day or two inside before overripening and beginning to go bad. I cant help with ripening off the tree because I have not tried it. Hope that is of some help though.

[Wendy]

Thanks Denise - by the sounds of it it prematurely fell off! I will wait till they ripen on the tree... do they winter ok? we are on the Hibiscus Coast in Auckland.

[Virgil Evetts]

It's pretty similar to babaco, so will turn yellow and very sofy when ripe. The ripen off the tree but usually need a bit of added sugar this time of year.

[Wendy]

Thanks for that Virgil - what do you mean a bit of added sugar - do you mean when you eat them?

[Virgil Evetts]

Sorry- yes
They don't tend to sweeten naturally in winter and are greatly improved by a bit of sugar. Slice the fruit open and sprinkle sugar over top, leave for 10-15 minutes to disolve and eat. Just lovelly.
This only applies to babaco and rainbow valley. Mountain pawpaw are chook food at best!

[Wendy]

Update... I know have a relative influx of paw paws, the tree got shook up while putting in a new fence and they fell off before they should have, they have ripened succesfully indoors in the fruit bowl and I put them in the fridge to slow them down so now have 5-6 big paw paws ready.
can anyone recommend some good paw paw recipes -I am going to try a variation of a Indian Mango Chutney using the Paw paws.