Tropical Fruit-A-Week Series: Powerful Papaya

Papaya plants add a real tropical flair to a Florida garden and also give a tasty treat mostly in late Summer through Fall. Plants need to be planted on high ground in a well-drained soil with some protection from cold during the Winter. The Papaya will fruit the first year with multiple fruit per tree turning yellowish when ripe. It is important to plant a female Papaya since the male plants only occasionally fruit. If planting from seed, plant multiple seeds in order to secure a female Papaya plant. The fruit fly is the number one pest of the Papaya and bagging the fruit, where bags act as a barrier to protect the fruit from attack by pests, is the only solution.

At the garden center we carry Red Lady (seedling) and T.R. Hovey (female and dwarf) to give you a head start. These great plants are fast growers.

Papayas are an excellent source of vitamin C, B vitamins, fiber and the digestive enzyme papain, which has many uses.