Asimina triloba

The common pawpaw, paw paw or paw-paw (in addition to many local names) is in the custard-apple or Annnonaceae family and is a small deciduous understory tree native to 26 eastern states of the U.S. and Ontario in Canada. It grows on well-drained but quite fertile soils.

• Leaf is simple, alternate, spirally arranged, obovate-lanciolate, 15–30 cm long, 10–13 cm across, green, slightly lighter below. Petiole is short and stout. Leaf has a green bell pepper odor when crushed. Foliage turns brilliant orange-yellow in the fall.
• Species is monoecious. Flower is reddish-purple or maroon when mature, broad bell shaped with 6 petals (3 outer, 3 inner), 3–5 cm across, produced in early spring at the same time or slightly before the leaves.
• Fruit resembles a short, fat banana, 6–15 cm long, 2–4 cm across, turning green, yellow then brown as it ripens in the fall, heavily weighing down the branches. It contains numerous brown or black seeds; yellowish fruit tastes similar to banana and mango (varying significantly by the cultivar). Fruit ripens to the point of fermentation soon after picked, so only frozen fruit will store or ship well.
• Twig is moderately stout, red-brown; buds are purplish brown, fuzzy, naked, flattened and often curved; terminal bud is up to 1.5 cm long.