North Carolina Wildflowers, Shrubs, & Trees

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Annonaceae>Asimina

Dwarf Pawpaw (Asimina parviflora) Dwarf Pawpaw (Asimina parviflora)
Pender Co., NC
23 Apr 2006

Dwarf Pawpaw is a small shrub that flowers in the spring and is a caterpillar host plant for Zebra Swallowtails.

Dwarf Pawpaw (Asimina parviflora) Dwarf Pawpaw (Asimina parviflora)
Pender Co., NC
23 Apr 2006

Dwarf Pawpaw (Asimina parviflora) Dwarf Pawpaw (Asimina parviflora)
Pender Co., NC
23 Apr 2006

Netted Pawpaw, Netleaf Pawpaw (Asimina reticulata) Netted Pawpaw, Netleaf Pawpaw (Asimina reticulata)
Collier-Seminole State Park, Collier Co., FL
6 Feb 2015

Netted Pawpaw, Netleaf Pawpaw (Asimina incana) Netted Pawpaw, Netleaf Pawpaw (Asimina reticulata)<
Collier-Seminole State Park, Collier Co., FL
6 Feb 2015
Netted Pawpaw, Netleaf Pawpaw (Asimina reticulata) Netted Pawpaw, Netleaf Pawpaw (Asimina reticulata)<
Collier-Seminole State Park, Collier Co., FL
6 Feb 2015

Flowers are borne on old growth twigs.


Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Orange Co., NC
17 Mar 2007

Statewide in North Carolina in rich forested habitats, Pawpaw, also known as Indian-banana, has distinctive "cinnamon" twig buds and very distinctive globe-shaped flower buds.

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Durham Co., NC
9 Apr 2007

Flowers appear before the leaves mature in the spring.

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Durham Co., NC
9 Apr 2007

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Durham Co., NC
6 Sep 2009

Odd fruits have a strong, distinctive smell when ripe and are quite tasty, if you can find some before the wildlife gets to them!

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
York Co., VA
28 Aug 2013
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Durham Co., NC
6 Sep 2009

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Orange Co., NC
17 Mar 2007
Asimina Webworm Moth (Omphalocera munroei) Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
York Co., VA
28 Aug 2013

Asimina Webworm Moths (Omphalocera munroei) are one of the few insects adapted to feeding on the toxic pawpaw. They form "nests" at the tips of pawpaw twigs where they feed on and fold leaves with silk.

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
York Co., VA
28 Aug 2013

Opened Asimina Webworm Moth "nest" with frass.

Asimina Webworm Moth (Omphalocera munroei) Asimina Webworm Moth (Omphalocera munroei) caterpillar
York Co., VA
28 Aug 2013


Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.


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Created on May 7, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com