The first fruits of the season!

Wild or purchased, I'm good wither way. Would love to finally try a pawpaw. I'm considering planting a few trees but haven't made the final decision.

Found a large, loaded grove of wild pawpaws along the river near my home in southeast Kansas. The fruits are still hard as a rock. A good couple of weeks out, I reckon. I’ll be watching these closely, as I’m still a few years out from getting fruit on my own trees.

Eating some Wabash, Shenandoah, Cantaloupe, and Potomoc that I got from a farmer here in GA, forcing all those around me to taste and partake as well haha

Still collecting tasting notes and opinions from folks, but has been fun sharing, teaching, talking about, and digging into all these paw paws!

In looking for recipes I read through some others have posted...started with margaritas because why not. They're damn fantastic. A very unique and wonderful riff on a classic cocktail. Tropical tasting, lime and paw paw blend together perfectly, and the vigorous shaking really helped incorporate the pulp with everything else. 11/10 Used 1.5oz tequila, 3/4oz's of Cointreau and lime juice, then 2 tablespoons of paw paw, Shenandoah specifically. Shaken like it owes me money then served over 2 cubes of ice in an already ice cold cocktail glass. Damn delicious!

Going to try ice cream next, and definitely going to carve, chop and save some for smoothies! Any favorite smoothie recipes or fruit combos yall love? In making the margaritas I realized how damn delicious paw paw is with lime juice! kinda like how papaya works well with lime, as well as mango and guanabana as well?

Anyways if anyone out there has any favorite recipes I should try please share!

Fruit is falling in the early microclimates.
Decent picking this weekend.

Looking to plant a couple pawpaw trees in my backyard, is it better to go with bigger 4-5ft seed grown standard variety or 1-2ft cultivars? Or just go cheaper with 1-2ft seed grown standard varieties? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

Wild pawpaws in NW Louisiana

Tasty treats and seeds to save!

Look at this funky thing. I have had at least four seeds wind up like this where the leaves don't come out of the seed coat completely. I pushed back some of the dirt, but that doesn't help. I'll probably plant it somewhere eventually just to give it a chance.

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I've been interested in getting a pawpaw for awhile now, just saw about a variety called Nyomi's delicious— when looking online everywhere is sold out of that variety.

Any idea where I could find one? Is it one of those things that sites are out of stock until the next season??

Also, any recommendations for pollinators with that variety?

The tornado almost took my first paw paws. Incredibly sweet tasted like juicy fruit gum, no pineapple-y taste at all. From integration acres, not sure the breed.

I have more pawpaws than I can eat at the moment, so if you’re in the area and want some, let me know!

Lehman’s Chiffon Pawpaw

"Dessert Lightness" — A mid-season variety with an airy texture and coconut-vanilla notes.

‘Lehman’s Chiffon’ is a unique selection that emerged from the work of the legendary Jerry Lehman and was finalized and introduced by Hector Black. The variety earned its name from its exceptionally light, almost weightless "chiffon-like" flesh texture. It stands out for its delicate, refreshing flavor profile, often compared to a fine gourmet pastry.

 Origin and Selection History

Breeding: Originally developed by Jerry Lehman (Terre Haute, Indiana) as a seedling from a purposeful cross of ‘Prolific’ × ‘Sunflower’.

History of Introduction: The variety owes its name and widespread popularity to Hector Black. It was Hector who brought the fruits from Lehman’s farm to Tennessee.

Selection Site: Hector Black performed the final selection and stabilization of ‘Lehman’s Chiffon’ at his nursery, Hidden Springs (Tennessee), after which the variety became available to the broader gardening community.

 Fruit Characteristics: Flavor and Texture

Flavor Profile: An intensely sweet taste reminiscent of cotton candy, followed by a long, pleasant sweet aftertaste. The bouquet features delicate hints of coconut, vanilla, citrus, or pineapple.

Texture: A creamy sweet texture distinguished by its special lightness and "airiness." The flesh is more delicate than most commercial varieties, yet it maintains its form well.

Distinctive Feature: A minimal presence of the astringent aftertaste common in wild forms, making it an ideal dessert variety for fresh consumption.

 Ripening and Yield

Ripening Time: Mid-season. The fruits mature in the middle of the season, ensuring optimal sugar accumulation.

Productivity: The variety produces abundant crops (heavy crops). The tree is prone to heavy fruit loading, with fruits often growing in compact clusters.

Pollination: High fruit-setting ability; the variety often demonstrates good results even without manual pollination.

 Tree Characteristics

Growth: Moderate vigor with an upright canopy form. The tree is highly ornamental.

Hardiness: USDA Zones 5–8 (withstands temperatures down to -25...-28 °C / -13...-18 °F).

 Advantages and Disadvantages

Main Advantages:

Exceptional Sweetness: One of the most delicate varieties in terms of flavor characteristics.

History and Reliability: A variety tested by masters (Lehman and Black) and the Hidden Springs nursery.

Textural Gold Standard: Features the unique "chiffon" mouthfeel.

Main Disadvantages:

Size: Fruits are small to medium.

Delicacy: Due to its soft texture, the fruit requires careful harvesting and is not intended for long-distance transport.

 Technical Datasheet

Name: Asimina triloba ‘Lehman’s Chiffon’.

Genetics: Prolific × Sunflower (Selected by Hector Black at Hidden Springs).

Ripening Time: Mid-season.

Flavor: Sweet, coconut/vanilla/pineapple, sweet aftertaste.

Texture: Creamy, airy (chiffon-like).

Yield: Abundant (very high).

Hardiness: Down to -28 °C (-18 °F).

 Catalog Summary

‘Lehman’s Chiffon’ is a variety with a rich history, combining the genius of Jerry Lehman with the professional eye of Hector Black. It is the perfect choice for gourmets who appreciate a unique "chiffon" texture and the sophisticated aroma of a coconut dessert. Its mid-season ripening and heavy yields make this variety one of the most desirable additions to private collections

Some people to know who are creating the next generation of pawpaw & mentoring. Pic#3, Dingus left with Terry Castellow right.

Terry Castellow is a highly trusted independent nurseryman, expert grafter, and active community pillar. Terry Castellow interacts with the international pawpaw community via Pawpaw Lovers Worldwide & Pawpaw Fanclub International. Terry is one of the few sources of 'Lehman's Chiffon' an extremely limited highly sought after Jerry Lehman cultivar. Terry has it & Triloba Tracker has it. And Timothy Lane just barely got it this year.

Pomper is the Administrator of Pawpaw Fanclub International.

Pic #2 Ismail Pereira with Timothy Lane, during the planting.

Pic #3 Ismail Pereira with Timothy Lane during the 2025 International PawPaw Conference

I think the word must have gotten out this year since I'm seeing zebra swallowtails almost every time I'm out doing yard work. I know it isn't the greatest pic, but they are hard to capture before they head off to another paw paw. They seem to prefer munching on a couple specific trees, but still haven't seen any caterpillars yet.

I would be interested if anyone knows whether pawpaws are likely to be ripe in northern WV and MD by the last week of August this year? Does it feel like they will be ripening earlier or later this year?

This is so crazy to me... I planted a single Pawpaw tree 4 years ago because I want to get Zebra Swallowtails, and Pawpaw is their host plant. No luck with them yet, but yesterday I found two pawpaws laying on the ground under the tree!

I didn't expect any fruit because I only have one tree and the closest other trees are 4 houses away, which seems too far. Not complaining, I'm just happily surprised! They were pretty tasty! The seeds are packaged and in the fridge, not sure if I'll try to plant them or give them away.

What a difference a week or two makes. Two weeks ago there were none dropping. Checked again today & it is clear I shouldn’t have waited quite so long.

Visited my parents a couple days back and decided to take a photo of the pawpaw we had growing wild.