Paw-sitivley Delicious

Pawpaw - Asimina triloba

What do Osage Oranges and Pawpaws have in common? Megafauna seed dispersal! Large fruit such as the Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) and Pawpaws (Asimina triloba) show evidence they evolved to be eaten and dispersed by megafauna such as Giant Ground Sloths and Mastodons. Today humans and smaller mammals do the job. Pawpaws were also widely consumed by Indigenous Americans who also used the bark to make rope and other tools. 

Pawpaws forming in July at Chanticleer

A small tree with a unique fruit, Pawpaws are native to eastern North America. It's amazing that this tropical tasting fruit in the Custard Apple family (Annonaceae) grows wild here and is North America's largest fruit! Members of this family are typically found growing in tropical climates and include plants such as ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata), a popular essential oil.  

If you've ever tried the fruit of a Pawpaw the taste is best described banana meets apple meets pineapple? Or at least that's how I would! They are sweet with a creamy texture that I look forward to enjoying every September. 

On the job perks while weeding under a Pawpaw at Chanticleer

Once ripe these don't store long, eat or bake with asap!

There is a small patch planted close to the dog park - five trees that might not look particularly exciting but at various stages of the seasons I find they are.  The flowers are a unique maroon color that face downward. Pawpaws need pollen from other trees in order to produce fruit. But who the heck is pollinating these unusual flowers? When I see flowers of this color that aren't "showy" I think of non-traditional pollinators such as flies and beetles and that is exactly who pollinates Pawpaws. 

There are five trees planted here at Foulkeways

The maroon flowers attract flies and beetles! 

The trees are typically found as an understory tree in moist, rich woodlands and on the edge of floodplains.  In cultivation they are grown in full sun to encourage more flowers and fruit. The leaves are large - up to 12 in. - with a glossy texture and in the Fall they turn a bright yellow. They really do look more tropical than most of our native trees with slight resemblance to a Magnolia tree such as cucumber magnolia - Magnolia acuminata. 

Woods in Maryland with pawpaws primarily as the understory trees

Around mid-June is when fruit will start to be seen on the trees - I eagerly checked ours in mid-June and to my delight they had many clusters of fruit! From the beginning of September and into Fall is when the fruit begins to ripen. I was always told, like our native persimmons, to get them when they are on the ground so you know they are ripe. They will feel soft to the touch like an avocado and have more of a bruising coloration. 

A successful forage!

I'd love to keep adding more native edibles to the property. Maybe some persimmons, hazelnuts would be cool too! Any suggestions? Do you have any memories with pawpaws or fun recipes? How would you describe the taste? Share below! 

**

Gills Just Wanna Have Fun

Or do Andy and Mike just wanna have fun? 

Yesterday Andy finally had enough of the murky looking water of Gwynedd Pond in the garden next to the Rehab. Sludge begone! Andy has built and maintains three ponds on the property - Gwynedd pond by the Rehab, Abington West pond across from the Fitness Center, and the Japanese garden pond along Main Street. It surprised me to hear the Gwynedd Pond we were cleaning was 15 years old?! It still looking amazing due to Andy's continuous care. 

A hidden oasis

 I came along for the some pictures and to demonstrate my keen fish catching abilities, I'm from the South and grew up noodling Catfish. I'm totally joking but did I get you there for a second? No I did not grow up noodling fish but I sure love all animals and catching the koi for a pond refresh sounded like a good time.

One fish? 

Two fish

Bog fashion 

A heavy pump was placed in the pond to begin draining the water. As the water lowered the fish wrangling began. Andy and I caught the fish and placed them in a large bin filled with the pond water. Several fish, especially the larger more frilly looking Koi, were hiding out under a large rock. We got 'em though. Mike began to power wash from the upper part of the pond downward after the water had emptied. Nothing like mysterious pond muck sprayed into your face. 

The comically long hose

Mike power washing

The heavy pump 

After all the fish were removed and the water emptied, Andy cleaned out filters and sludge from inside the pond. Some Iris were moved around too. Mike power washed and then hosed off the rest of the pond. The pond was refilled, beneficial bacteria was added and the fish were returned. The entire process took just a couple hours as Andy has done this many times. 

This little pond garden is a peaceful spot through the seasons. I'm sure many can see the unique flowers of  Edgeworthia chrysantha blooming along the window in late Winter. Iris bloom in and around the pond in the Spring and in the Summer water lilies (nymphaea) hold their heads up out of the water, brightening up the pond. A sea of purple and pinks follows in the Fall with native Asters (Symphyotrichum) blooming, attracting a Monarch who was still lingering about. 

Winter lit up by the fragrant Edgeworthia shrub 

Iris in the Spring

Water lilies in the Summer 

Native Asters of various pinks and purples in the Fall

A monarch kept me company the other week 

A quick plant highlight! Right now the stunning Azure blue of Aconitum carmichaelii "Arendsii" aka monkshood or wolfsbane blooms along the windows. This is a great plant for fall blooms as it blooms from September to October. It prefer moist soils so if you have more wet areas it would be perfect - and deer don't bother it. However, this plant is highly toxic hence being deer resistant. Ingesting it would be a very, very bad idea. 

The common name wolfsbane originated in the Middle Ages when this plant was believed to ward off well, werewolves. Witches in the Dark Ages were said to use it in spells and witchcraft. In Ancient Greece, poisonous arrows were made from the plant to use for hunting. This is a plant with a rich and murderous history but dang that blue color! 

The blue Aconitum flowers pairs nicely with orange cosmos. 

That blueeee! 

This particular species in not native but there are several species native to the United States. Aconitum uncinatum is native to the eastern US where it is listed as endangered in several states. This is a very cool plant that has a vine like habit - it's hard to find though and i'm still hunting it down! There are several other species native out west as well. 

A more in depth pond blog will be out eventually but our pond wizard Andy continues to maintain the ponds and is dreaming up more water feature ideas for the property. Water features add a very tranquil element to a garden, do you like them? What is your favorite feature?

**