Asimina triloba | |
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Asimina triloba in fruit | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Magnoliids |
Order: | Magnoliales |
Family: | Annonaceae |
Genus: | Asimina |
Species: | A. triloba |
Binomial name | |
Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal |
|
Natural range of Asimina triloba |
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
---|---|
18.8 g
|
|
Dietary fiber | 2.6 g |
1.2 g
|
|
1.2 g
|
|
Vitamins | |
Vitamin A equiv. |
(11%)
87 μg |
Thiamine (B1) |
(1%)
0.01 mg |
Riboflavin (B2) |
(8%)
0.09 mg |
Niacin (B3) |
(7%)
1.1 mg |
Vitamin C |
(22%)
18.3 mg |
Minerals | |
Calcium |
(6%)
63 mg |
Iron |
(54%)
7 mg |
Magnesium |
(32%)
113 mg |
Manganese |
(124%)
2.6 mg |
Phosphorus |
(7%)
47 mg |
Potassium |
(7%)
345 mg |
Zinc |
(9%)
0.9 mg |
|
|
|
|
Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. |
Asimina triloba, the papaw,pawpaw, paw paw, paw-paw, or common pawpaw, is a small deciduous tree native to the eastern United States, producing a large, yellowish-green to brown fruit. It belongs to the genus Asimina in the same plant family (the Annonaceae) as the custard-apple, cherimoya, sweetsop, ylang-ylang and soursop.
The pawpaw is a patch-forming (clonal) understory tree found in well-drained, deep, fertile bottom-land and hilly upland habitat, with large, simple leaves. Pawpaw fruits are the largest edible fruit indigenous to the United States (not counting gourds, which are typically considered vegetables rather than fruit for culinary purposes, although in botany they are classified as fruit).
Pawpaw fruits have a sweet, custardish flavor somewhat similar to banana, mango, and cantaloupe, and are commonly eaten raw.
This plant's scientific name is Asimina triloba. The genus name Asimina is adapted from the Native American (probably Miami-Illinois) name assimin or rassimin through the French colonial asiminier. The epithet triloba in the species' scientific name refers to the flowers' three-lobed calices and doubly three-lobed corollas, the shape not unlike a tricorne hat.