3w ago

Pawpaw pollinators

My pawpaws saplings I planted last fall are still alive!

They have started budding leaves. I know I'm a few years away from fruit production but I am curious if anyone has found good ways to attract pollinators outside of rotting meat. Not sure the city would be very excited about that prospect.

I am considering making a native carion flower plant garden near the trees to make area more attractive to pollinators prior to the pawpaws flowering. Was wondering it anyone else had tried that idea. I've found 3 somewhat promising options in my area of Ohio.

These seem to be an especially symbiotic options https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trillium_sessile https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trillium_erectum

And this could be grown if you have a bog garden https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symplocarpus_foetidus

6 comments

TIL I have to actually do stuff to make sure my pawpaws get pollinated properly. I have several trees and haven't gotten huge numbers of fruit from them, but it never crossed my mind that that wasn't just how it was supposed to be.
- I only have 2 trees. So I was hoping to boost my yields in a way that doesnt mean hand pollination or hanging a carcass (which I havent seen any hard evidence works, just some anecdotes).
  And I thought if I could propose my idea to others and get them to try it, I might have some alternative methods that are less labor intensive options by the time my trees are ready to bear fruit.
  I plan on doing the carrion-flower bed as I think its pretty cool but it might be an easier sell to my gf if it is a proven way to boost fertilazation, on the pawpaws.