Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

flag pawpaw, bigflower pawpaw, scrub pawpaw

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Asimina obovata

Family:

Annonaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

to 10 ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

green

Phenology:

Deciduous. Blooms late winter-early spring

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Understory shrub.

Considerations:

Difficult to transplant because of long taproot.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Usually grown from nursery stock. Difficult to transplant, minimize root disturbance and keep moist until established. Can be grown from seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

-|----|----|----|----|----|----|---- <-------------------> --|-

Not wet but not extremely dry ---to--- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8B,9A,9B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Larval host for zebra swallowtail ( Eurytides marcellus ) and pawpaw sphinx ( Dolba hyloeus ).





Pollinated by flies and beetles.

Small mammals and birds harvest the fruit.

Native Habitats:

Dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests, sandhill, clayhill, scrub

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Edible fruit.

General Comments: