Pawpaw tree care in the first year comes down to five things: keep the bare roots moist, set the brittle taproot straight down without bending it, shade the young tree through its first summer, keep the soil evenly moist under mulch, and plant two genetically different pawpaws about 8 feet apart to get fruit.
This site is TN Nursery's customer education site, run by TN Nursery, the third-generation family nursery in Altamont, Tennessee, growing native trees and plants since 1959. Most of our trees ship bare-root and dormant, and the Pawpaw Tree is no exception. That changes what care looks like in year one. A dormant pawpaw arrives as a leafless stem with its roots exposed, and those roots are fleshy and brittle with very few fine hairs, according to Kentucky State University's pawpaw planting guide. Rough handling or dried-out roots can set it back. This guide follows a bare-root pawpaw from the day the box lands on your porch through its first summer. It covers what to check when you open the box, how to protect the roots, where to plant, how much shade and water it needs, and when to expect fruit. For the basics of planting any bare-root tree, see our guide to planting bare-root trees.
What you need for pawpaw tree care
- Two Pawpaw Trees, so the pair can cross-pollinate
- A bucket of water for soaking the roots before planting
- A shovel, a hose and enough wood-chip mulch for a wide ring around each tree
- Shade cloth or a board and two stakes to block afternoon sun the first summer
1. Check the dormant pawpaw when the box arrives
Open the box the day it arrives. A dormant bare-root pawpaw is a leafless stem with a long main taproot and a few side roots, and it can look lifeless. Scratch a small spot of bark with your thumbnail: green or creamy tissue underneath means the tree is alive and resting. The roots should feel firm and damp, not dry or mushy.
Tip: Scratch low on the stem so the test spot never costs you the top bud.
2. Keep the brittle roots moist until planting
Pawpaw roots are fleshy and brittle, with very few fine root hairs, so they dry out and snap more easily than most. Keep them wrapped in their damp packing until you plant, and store the box somewhere cool and out of the sun. Just before planting, soak the roots in a bucket of water for a few hours. Lift the tree by the stem, never by the taproot, and never bend the taproot to fit a small hole.
Tip: If planting must wait a few days, heel the tree into a shady trench of moist soil.
3. Pick a site and shade the young tree
Choose deep, moist soil that drains well. Kentucky State's guide advises transplanting in spring, as new growth begins or soon after. Young pawpaws need shade for their first year outdoors, and sometimes the second, so set up shade cloth or a board on the south and west sides for the first summer. After that, give the tree more sun: mature pawpaws bear the most fruit in open ground.
Tip: A spot near taller trees can give morning sun and afternoon shade.
4. Plant two trees about 8 feet apart
Pawpaws are self-incompatible: one tree usually needs pollen from a genetically different pawpaw to set fruit, so plant at least two. Space them about 8 feet apart. Dig a hole deep enough for the taproot to hang straight down, and set the tree at the same depth it grew at the nursery, where the bark color changes near the roots. Backfill with the native soil, firm it gently and water right away.
Tip: Not sure your two trees are genetically different? Ask TN Nursery when you order.
5. Water, mulch and feed through the first summer
Water newly planted trees right away, then whenever the top inch or two of soil feels dry through the growing season. Pawpaws like soil that stays moist but never soggy. Spread a ring of wood-chip mulch, kept a few inches back from the stem. Kentucky State's guide suggests a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer every few weeks during the first half of the growing season.
Tip: A slow, deep soak does more than a quick daily sprinkle.
Pawpaw trees or seedling bundles
TN Nursery sells pawpaws two ways. The Pawpaw Tree comes bare-root in heights from 1 to 2 feet up to 4 to 5 feet, in small orders or bundles of 25 and 100, with a 1-gallon container option as a potted alternative. For a backyard pair, choose two trees of the same size so they grow at a similar pace. The Pawpaw Tree Seedlings (Asimina triloba) come in bundles of 100 at 6 to 12, 12 to 18 or 18 to 24 inches, for larger plantings. Seedlings need the same care as larger trees, just more of it: shade, steady moisture and a straight taproot for each one. Pawpaws also sit well beside other natives from TN Nursery. Try the Persimmon Tree, another native fruit tree, or the Eastern Redbud Tree, a flowering tree. Witch Hazel, a native shrub, and Spice Bush, a berry shrub, round out a native planting.
- Pawpaw Tree: bare-root trees from 1 to 2 feet up to 4 to 5 feet, or a 1-gallon container
- Pawpaw Tree Seedlings: bundles of 100, from 6 to 24 inches tall
Care and keeping: Patience pays with pawpaws. Kentucky State University says seedlings usually bear once they reach about 6 feet, which takes five to eight years, and grafted trees can fruit in as few as three. Early pruning is light: remove dead or broken wood. If roots were badly damaged at planting, trim the top back to match.
Frequently asked questions
Are paw paw trees difficult to grow?
Not once they are settled. Iowa State University Extension notes pawpaws are relatively free of pests, and deer do not eat them. The hard part is the first year: protecting the brittle roots, shading the young tree and keeping the soil evenly moist. After that, care is mostly watering in dry spells.
Does pawpaw need a lot of water?
It needs steady moisture more than large amounts. Water a new tree right after planting and whenever the soil dries during its first growing season. Aim for soil that stays moist but drains well, since pawpaws do not want standing water. Mulch helps hold moisture between waterings.
How close should you plant pawpaw trees?
About 8 feet apart, the spacing Kentucky State University's pawpaw planting guide recommends. That keeps two or more trees close enough to cross-pollinate, which most pawpaws need to set fruit, while leaving room to grow. In full sun, Iowa State notes a pawpaw reaches about 15 feet tall and 8 feet wide.
First-year pawpaw care calendar
- Arrival day: open the box, scratch-test the stem, and keep the roots damp, cool and out of the sun.
- Planting day: soak the roots for a few hours, set the taproot straight at nursery depth, water right away and mulch.
- Spring to early summer: put up shade on the south and west sides, water when the top inch or two dries, and feed a balanced fertilizer every few weeks.
- Mid to late summer: keep the shade and steady watering going, and stop feeding after the first half of the season.
- Second year: keep the shade up if the tree still struggles, since some young pawpaws need it a second year, then give it more sun.
