The Shenandoah Pawpaw tree, Asimina, features abundant fruit with a mild, sweet flavor. The Shenandoah Pawpaw tree has been developed to feature large fruits with few seeds and a buttery texture. Its huge fruit can weigh up to one pound! Its delicious sweet fruit brings rich Pawpaw flavor. Shenandoah Pawpaw tree responds well to pruning. A member of the Peterson Pawpaw series, a group of Pawpaw trees introduced by Neal Peterson that features an abundance of large, tasty fruit.

Neal Peterson is renowned for his breading of Pawpaw trees. His Pawpaws are more reliable producers with larger, fleshier, and tastier fruit than the wild Pawpaw tree. According to the official Peterson Pawpaw site, Neal Peterson notes that the Shenandoah Pawpaw tree: 

Shenandoah was my first variety. Its smooth and mellow, cherimoya-like flavor is most popular with pawpaw newbies. It has been a consistent hit at farmers’ markets. Key Features of the Shenandoah pawpaw:

• Good Yields
• Sweet, mild flavor
• Fleshy – only 6% seed
• Succulent, custardy texture
• Most popular at DC farmers market
• Responds well to pruning

Pawpaw trees are native Illinois and Missouri trees that produce fruit in fall that have a flavor reminiscent of bananas. In fact Pawpaw trees are sometimes know as the Missouri Banana Tree. The Pawpaw tree is the official fruit tree of the State of Missouri. The host plant to the Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly, their caterpillars exclusively eat Pawpaw leaves.

Plant in full sun to light shade. Pawpaw trees will grow in the shade but will become leggy. Pawpaw trees prefer average, medium to wet, well-drained soil, ideally moist, acidic, fertile soil, but will grow easily in most soils.