Fruit Ripening and Picking Guides
Meet the fruits of Toronto!
Pawpaw
Summary
Pawpaws are a rare treat in Toronto! Not widely known, they are also called Kentucky bananas or custard apples. They are not commercially grown anywhere, and have a native range within eastern North America.
Pawpaws are green when ripe, but some varieties can lighten to a yellow colour. They are oval-shaped, and have a length of 3-6 inches when mature, which is similar in size to a small mango. When cut open pawpaws have two rows of brown lima bean-shaped seeds and the insides have a white to creamy yellow colour.
Read more on our blog: “Pawpaw: Ontario’s Little-Known Tropical Fruit“.
Jump To
Average Ripening Timeline: mid September to mid October
Ripeness Indicators
- Color When Ripe: can be difficult to tell when pawpaws are ready because they don’t have any overt visual cues. Give it a gentle squeeze and see if it’s soft
- Feel & Texture When Ripe: gives in to soft pressure, much like a peach. When you cut into the fruit, it will have a custard-like texture and a yellow center
- Taste & Smell When Ripe: smells fragrant and tastes like a mix of mango, pineapple, and banana
- Underripe if…hard to the touch, has little smell
- Overripe if…If they start to develop brown spots that means they are near being overripe
How to Harvest
Average Yield: 10 to 150 lbs
- To harvest pawpaws, gently pull on the top of the stem without breaking the skin of the fragile fruit. The less damage done to the fruit, the longer it will last.
How to Store and Eat
Storing
Pawpaws need to be processed or eaten right away, as their shelf life is quite short. Cut the fruit in half and scoop out the insides with a spoon, like you would with a kiwi.
Pawpaws give off a gas called ethylene that causes nearby fruits and vegetables to ripen more quickly, so keep this in mind when finding a place to store them.
When the pawpaws start to develop brown spots or lighten in colour its time to eat them right away or put them in the fridge to extend their shelf life for a few more days.
Ideas for Eating
Make breads, pies, sorbet/ice cream, muffins, and drinks or eat it as is!