Last week, we had a few days in the mid-60s, and we were able to get some yard cleanup completed, and some early planting. The bulbs and perennials were beginning to green. This morning we woke up to an inch of snow, and freezing temps. Took a trip to a local conservatory. Where better to shed some of that spring fever.
Papaya tree with unripe fruit. This tree was about 7ft tall
Every time I visit, I’m reminded of all the amazing edibles that I’d like to add to my collection. Below are a few of my favorites.
Papaya
Papaya, or Carica papaya, is a New-World tropical. It grows as a single-stalked, non-woody, tree-like plant with unique leaves and fruiting habit. The tree is easily grown from seed that can be gathered from store-bought fruit.
Small papaya tree with fruit. Papaya can be grown in containers.
The full sized varieties of Papaya can grow rather large (30ft or more), but there are dwarf varieties available that remain under 10ft. Plants are male or female, so for indoor fruiting, often two plants are necessary. There are some self-pollinating varieties of papaya.
Dwarf papaya can be grown in medium sized pots and size can be kept to 5-6ft. I’d like to grow this for the foliage alone, as it reminds me of a tropical forest.
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