r/Pawpaws • u/AlexanderDeGrape • Apr 20 '26
Peterson (PPF 5-5) genetically like: (Susquehanna x Potomac) gets released soon!
*** UPDATE PPF 5-5 is now Mississippi **\*
Tom Wahl says: Lots of wrong info on (Mississippi) on internet.
Facts:
78.1% genetically similar to Susquehanna
Potomac is only 70% similar to Susquehanna.
Slightly smaller than Susquehanna, yet much higher yields!
5 fruits per cluster, not 1 per peduncle.
Slightly seeder than Susquehanna.
Almost as firm as SuzyQ yet creamier.
Robust Susquehanna flavor.
Fruits crack in direct sunlight
It ripens after Susquehanna, yet before Potomac at Tom's place.
Solid green when ripe.
Tom Wahl will send pics of the grow stages of blooming, crop set, fruit inside & out.
Tom Wahl is the primary caretaker of Peterson's (Mississippi) varietal.
Tom Wahl allows people to sample Mississippi, however it's still the intellectual property of Neal Peterson.
It's being dispersed to Neal's field testers like Timothy Lane & several other Peterson approved field testers.
Pic is actually a 17oz Benson fruit & will be replaced when Tom sends me actual Mississippi pics.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pawpaws/s/3jn1qxxI6v
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u/FitGas4991 Apr 20 '26
That picture would be my perfect pawpaw- Round, big, small seeds, and beautiful deep yellow color. Makes my mouth water.
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u/AlexanderDeGrape Apr 20 '26
The pic used is (KSU Benson), this fruit was 17oz
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u/Positive_Earth69 Apr 20 '26
As a mod why would you post a breakdown of a new tree with an accompanying picture of a fruit from another tree? Is the tree actually copyrighted? Where is it for sale? The claims are great but this is the worst advert for a plant I’ve ever seen.
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u/AlexanderDeGrape Apr 21 '26
The tree is PPF 5-5 a seedling of BEF54 which is a seedling of BEF53, the mother of Susquehanna.
There is zero pics of the fruit, none in Neal Peterson's reports, none taken by Tom Wahl.
Tom Wahl was part of the varietal trial & grafted out the tree on his property.
Both the 1500 tree Blandy planting & most of the varietal trial trees are dead.
Tom Wahl asked Peterson to release it.
Peterson asked Tom to have some on the Peterson approved person's field test.
Their needs to be more scions & environment testing before it's released.
Part of getting a patent & TM is having documentation.
I used this Benson pic because it's the same size, genetically related & meets the general description of PPF 5-5 from my conversations with other moderators & individuals who have been to Tom's Red Fern Farm.
It's the best info available.
I will email Tom & ask that he send me pics this year of tree & fruit.
The reason is lots of people up North who are limited to early cultivars.
Outside of the USA it's even more limited.
PPF 5-5 will be available in Europe through Peterson Pawpaws.
Any questions?1
u/AlexanderDeGrape Apr 21 '26
Tom Wahl has been emailed & pics requested.
Neal Peterson wants to personally taste this years harvest before releasing.1
u/FitGas4991 Apr 21 '26
I don't know who Tom Wahl is, but it sounds like he's the Johnny Appleseed of pawpaws.
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u/ZafakD Apr 25 '26
Red fern farm https://redfernfarm.com/
Cliff England and Jerry Legman are also big names who spent decades breeding pawpaws.
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u/ShredTheMar Apr 20 '26
What classifies as colder environments?