makes an excellent dried snack. Sarah Jay will got through an in-depth to share all you need to grow your own papayas at home.

Are you interested in growing a tropical fruit tree, but you can’t commit to 20 years of care? Well, look no further than the papaya tree. Papaya trees produce nutritious papaya fruit and have a relatively short lifespan. They’re easy to grow in containers, too!

I don’t know about you, but I adore papaya fruit. It’s something I spring for when it comes to improving digestion, and it’s so good fresh. Green papaya is excellent in Thai salads and ripe fruit is lovely when sliced and served up for breakfast.

Dried papaya slices are my go-to for long hikes and camping trips. Growing papaya trees is beneficial, not only through enjoying the papayas but also by learning something new in the garden. So let’s discuss how you can grow this lovely tropical tree at home.
What is The Papaya Tree?
Carica papaya, the papaya tree is also known as paw paw, Okwuru-ezi, Okwuru- bekee, Mgbimgbi among Igbo peoples, and Ibepe among Yoruba peoples.

Native Area
Papaya cultivation began in Central America, southern Mexico, and South America. Today it’s popular all over the world, with India being the largest producer, and the United States leading the consumption of the fruit.

The papaya tree grows in rainforests in southern Mexico, or along the coasts of Florida where it rests under tree canopies, thriving for only three to four years at a time. Afterwards, production slows significantly, and trees survive for just a short while longer.

Characteristics
Papaya trees top out at 33 feet tall, where spirally arranged large palmate leaves that are deeply lobed rest on a central trunk that is scarred at the bottom where previous leaves formed. The trunk is hollow, much like a palm tree, and the root system is somewhat shallow. After about 11 months, papaya trees begin blooming small, cream-colored, star-shaped flowers just under the leaves in early spring. All parts of the tree secrete latex.

In the wild, male and female trees must be cross-pollinated, and small fruit forms primarily on papaya in late summer or early fall. Male flowers and flower buds are small, clustered, and sit on inflorescences that have multiple stems. Female flowers are single, with five petals that gather at the base. Flowers of both female and male trees bloom at night, awaiting pollination from wind or insects. Hybrid trees use self-pollinating to produce fruit, and this is the preferred variety of the three possible fruit trees. In cultivation, papayas are often hybrid.

Papaya fruit is produced under papaya leaves from the leaf axils. Male trees can carry out papaya production, but their ripe fruit isn’t as delicious as the larger female fruit. After successful pollination, the flower of female and bisexual trees ripens and forms papayas – which are technically a berry. Each female papaya grows to about 18 inches long with a one-foot diameter. Hybrid papayas don’t grow as large, but they do have a smaller seed cavity. This cavity is chock full of round, black, spherical seeds. The developing fruit is green, with white flesh. Ripe fruits are carrot-colored with a pinkish-orange hue.
Nutrition
Papaya fruit is prized for its phytochemical composition, containing high amounts of vitamins C, A, and E. These vitamins are beneficial for those looking for a source of antioxidants that prevent cholesterol blockages in the human body. The fibrous fruit of papaya is excellent for regular digestion and has been traditionally used to treat inflammation related to asthma and arthritis. Recent studies have focused on papaya fruit in relation to reducing the risk of prostate cancer.

Uses
The flesh of green papaya is used in raw salads. My favorite version is a Som Tom Thai salad made with green papaya, fish oil, lime, shredded peppers, and carrots. The ripe fruit is delicious sliced or dried, and the latex within the fruit is used to tenderize meat.

Planting
Sow seeds in mid-spring when the soil is adequately warm. Because papaya trees have a relatively short life span, and a limited period for fruit production, they grow quickly from seeds. However, you’ll need several seeds to obtain healthy sprouts to grow papaya. Sow about six to ten papaya seeds per pot, and ensure it’s large enough to accommodate a tree. About 15 to 20 gallons is the minimum size. Papaya trees have shallow roots, and their seeds should be planted where they will live out their life.

Grow the seeds in rich, well-draining soil and keep the soil moist. Place them in full sun. For places with cold winters, plant seeds against a south- or west-facing wall that absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night. Then, as seedlings emerge with young leaves in two weeks, remove the weaker young trees. You can carry out this process in the ground in tropical regions, but ensure the young trees you select are at least seven to ten feet apart in their planting location.