The pawpaw is a native fruit that grows on trees right here in Northern Virginia, and they are starting to ripen now.<\/p>\n
At Prince William Forest Park, trees bearing pawpaws can be found along the creeks and streams, park officials said in a recent Facebook post.<\/p>\n
Pawpaw fruit is sweet and\u00a0similar to\u00a0a slightly tangy banana. The flesh is edible, but the skin and large black seeds are not.<\/p>\n
Pawpaws \u201care a delicious mid-hike snack. Once you scoop out the inedible large black seeds, the flesh of (the) tropical fruit tastes like a sweet mix of mango and banana,\u201d the post says.<\/p>\n
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Pawpaw trees are native to Virginia and grow along creeks and streams.<\/p>\n
Courtesy Prince William Forest Park<\/p>\n
Ripe pawpaw fruits are slightly soft and easily drop off of their trees. Park visitors are limited to one or two fruits a day. \u201cWe have to leave some for the animals to enjoy,\u201d the post said.<\/p>\n
Pawpaws\u00a0aren\u2019t commercially available in grocery stores because the fruit contains a high ratio of large seeds to its edible flesh. Also, they ripen quickly and become soft, so they can\u2019t easily be transported in trucks.<\/p>\n
The pawpaw\u2019s native range is from southern Michigan down the East Coast to the panhandle of Florida. Pawpaw trees bloom beautiful dark red flowers in April.\u00a0The fruit sets in June, and the mature fruits ripen after a long summer growing season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the fruits reach about three to six inches long, turn a greenish-black color and either fall to the ground or can easily be shaken from the tree, they are ripe and ready to be consumed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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