I thought maybe pawpaw was another term for papaya, but no, Wikipedia tells me . . .
Pawpaw (Asimina) is a genus of eight or nine species of small trees with large leaves and fruit, native to eastern North America. The genus includes the largest edible fruit indigenous to the continent. They are understory trees found in deep fertile bottomland and hilly upland habitat. Pawpaw is in the same family (Annonaceae) as the custard-apple, cherimoya, sweetsop, ylang-ylang and soursop, and it is the only member of that family not confined to the tropics.
A friend recently planted a pawpaw tree in his yard. And he’s become a little obsessed with them. The tree is still a couple years from fruiting, so he is excited about One Green World‘s Harvest Festival and Orchard Tour this Saturday, where pawpaws, amongst other fruits, will be featured. One Green World is located in Mollala though . . .
I know what an apple is. And 50th and Stark is much easier to get to . . . This weekend and next Portland Nursery (5050 SE Stark) is hosting apple tastings events. Sixty varieties of apples and pears (pdf) will be available to sample. And there will be live music too!
But apples are fleeting . . . books can take me all the way through to spring. Friends of the Library‘s 35th annual Fall book sale is going on this weekend in St. Johns (8150 N Lombard Street).
Do you know the paw-paw song?
XUP – I don’t! How’s it go?
Pickin’ up paw-paws, put ’em in your pocket (repeat a whole bunch of times) and then end with — “way down yonder in the paw-paw patch”. There are some actions that go with it — it’s kind of a bedtime song for babies and other wee ones