North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Jwlehman@aol.com]

Mark wrote:
I live in West-Central Iowa (the northern tip of zone 5), near the city of Atlantic.   I have a decent microclimate with good air drainage and a sheltered spot on the South side of my barn.

Any specific cultivars that would be recommended for this area?   Grafted vs. non-grafted seedlings?   Do I need 2 cultivars for pollination?

Hello Mark,

Pawpaw are monoecious but not usually self pollinating. Therefore you will need more than one variety. They don't need a well drained soil. If starting from seed, plant in full sun as with other fruits but provide shade the first and even second year such as a short tree shelter. Without shade your chances of growing from seed are only about 10%. 

If you purchase nursery trees get potted grafted trees and even then it isn't a bad idea to provide shade the first year, but not necessary if you faithfully water it all summer. Because bees are not attracted to pawpaw flowers plant them close together, 10 feet or less. There are vectors that will carry the pollen, but my observation is they generally aren't good flyers. Hand pollination works well. 

Jerry Lehman