Mountain Pawpaw
Botanical Name: Carica pubescens
Family: Brassicales
Also Known As: Vasconcellea pubescens, mountain papaya, papayuela, chilhuacán, chiglacón, chamburu, huanarpu, hembra, papaya de monte, papaya arequipeña, papaya de altura, gedang memedi, huanarpu hembra, papata de monte
Origin: South America, Andes Mountains
Source: Incredible Edibles: Large distinguished evergreen leaves up to 60cm across and deeply lobed. There is a coating of hairs on the underside of the leaves. Fairly slow growing. Quick growing round headed small tree to 2-4 metres. Fruit is produced within 2 years if male and female flowers are present. Male and female flowers may be produced on the same plant or seperate plants. A plant may vary from male to female during the year. Therefore, to ensure pollination more than one plant is needed. The white/green waxy flowers are borne in the leaf axils. Harvest when fruit turns yellow and slightly softened, mid-summer to late autumn.
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- 09/02/2010 Purchased a lovely specimen
- Andean Fruits: Mountain Pawpaw from hort.purdue.edu
- Highland Papayas chapter in Lost Crops of the Incas: Little Known Plants of the Andes with Promise for Worldwide Cultivation.
- Botany Photo of the Day: Carica Pubescens
- Mountain Papaya on Wikipedia
