My girls and I have been waiting all year for this moment—Paw-Paw eatin'!
The Paw-Paw, (Asimina triloba), is an understory tree species native to Appalachia. It is one of North America's largest tree fruits. It is in the Annonaceae or Custard Apple Family and has a number of tropical cousins. Being an understory tree, it starts out growing under the protective canopies of larger trees that like more sunshine.
Appalachian Ohio is home to the largest and most yummy wild Paw-Paw patches! We even have a festival honoring this delicious, local Superfood!
As the Paw-Paw fest groups says: “Come wander the hills and discover why George Washington's favorite dessert was chilled Paw-Paw.”
The Paw-Paw is super-nutritious eaten fresh off the tree or chilled as a desert. It is also a plant medicine used for a number of common ailments including constipation.
Interestingly, the seeds, leaves and bark contain potentially useful anticancer acetogenins, but also they are potentially toxic as well—so you eat the fruit and spit the seeds out, just as we are doing.
Any of you all ever have Paw-Paw? Give it a try and let us know what you think!
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