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A Forager’s Year

No. 56

Plant of the month: September

Pawpaw

Asimina triloba

Fruit ripe fruit (pulp only)

Drawing: Britton & Brown, Illustrated Flora (1913)

Find
Common in the right habitat
Effort
Grab & eat
ID risk
Beginner
Origin
native
Safety marks
  • Toxic parts
Uses
  • Eat raw / salad
  • Baking & desserts
  • Jam & jelly
  • Juice & drinks
  • Wine & spirits
  • Dried fruit & leather

Season

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

in season peak

What these mean

Find

1 Everywhere · 2 Common in the right habitat · 3 Patchy · 4 Elusive. This is about how much there is, not whether you may pick it. It is based on iNaturalist sightings within 25 km (about 15 miles) of downtown DC, counted on October 3, 2026. The four rules that each plant’s “Find” reason refers to: (A) the estimate is the confirmed sightings, plus the unconfirmed ones (scaled down where the plant has lookalikes in its genus), plus the sightings marked as planted; (B) the tier by estimate: 1,500 or more is tier 1, 250–1,499 tier 2, 50–249 tier 3, under 50 tier 4; (C) tier 1, Everywhere, also needs a source saying the plant is common in lawns, sidewalks, yards or gardens, vacant lots or towns, or at least one DC street tree of it per km of sidewalk, otherwise it is tier 2; (D) if a reliable source says the plant is rare in this region, or that wild plants rarely bear the harvest, only planted sightings count. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.

Effort

1 Grab & eat · 2 Quick kitchen prep (under about 30 minutes) · 3 Real work (hours, or cooking needed for safety) · 4 Project (days or equipment). Scored on the simplest worthwhile use; each plant’s page says why.

ID risk

How hard it is to harvest safely. Beginner: no dangerous lookalike, and the edible part is not easily confused with a toxic part. Careful: a toxic lookalike, or toxic parts that end up in the harvest unless removed (for example elderberry stems, unripe ground cherries), or other parts of the plant rated medium-or-higher toxicity, with reliable features to separate them. Expert only: a potentially deadly lookalike that is hard to separate, or (for not-recommended harvests like pokeweed) a plant whose safe preparation can’t be guaranteed. Toxic parts that are obviously separate and thrown away anyway (pits, seeds, skins) don’t raise it; the Toxic parts mark carries that warning.

Native or not, and the invader stars

Origin is where the plant comes from: native, non-native, or mixed (the harvest covers both). The stars rate plants on invasive plant lists: ★★★ Virginia DCR “High” or Maryland prohibited invasive · ★★ Virginia “Medium” · ★ Virginia “Low” · ☆ listed only by the Maryland Invasive Species Council or the Mid-Atlantic Plant Invaders guide (advisory) · no stars: native or not listed.

Safety marks and flags

Deadly lookalike / Toxic lookalike: a cited source names a lookalike of that danger. Deadly means a source says eating it may be fatal or calls it deadly, or NC State rates it high severity with life-threatening symptoms (sources sometimes disagree; for example Virginia creeper). Each plant’s Lookalikes list says how to tell them apart; “harmless (may be edible)” lookalikes are listed so you know a mix-up isn’t dangerous. Cook first: cooking is needed for safety (for daylilies it is a precaution, not a sourced requirement). Eat in moderation: a source says to limit quantity or frequency (for example oxalates in sorrels and dock, ginkgotoxin, safrole). Spray risk: a source says the plant is commonly treated with herbicide in parks or lawns (invasive control, lawn weeds) or, for ginkgo, sprayed to stop fruiting. Contamination: a source says the plant concentrates pollutants. Each plant’s Safety flags list gives the details and sources.

Seasons

Start, peak and end are given in thirds of a month: early, mid or late. A plant counts as in season for a month if it is in season at any point in that month. Some greens and roots have a second window, in spring or fall; their page shows each window. A season that runs across New Year is shown as one window.

What it looks like

A small understory tree with large, drooping, tropical-looking leaves. It bears the largest native fruit in North America: green, potato-shaped fruits, often in clusters, with soft golden custard-like flesh around two rows of big brown seeds. The flavor is often compared to banana mixed with mango, and the fruit has a strong fruity smell when ripe.

Safety

Eat only the pulp. The seeds and skin contain alkaloids that cause vomiting, so do not eat them (Clemson; Maryland DNR also says the seeds and skin are inedible). Some people react to pawpaw, so try a small amount first (Maryland DNR). Some people also react to touching the fruit, so consider gloves (MDC). No dangerous tree-fruit lookalike in the DC area.

Safety flags

Safety marks and flags: what this means

Deadly lookalike / Toxic lookalike: a cited source names a lookalike of that danger. Deadly means a source says eating it may be fatal or calls it deadly, or NC State rates it high severity with life-threatening symptoms (sources sometimes disagree; for example Virginia creeper). Each plant’s Lookalikes list says how to tell them apart; “harmless (may be edible)” lookalikes are listed so you know a mix-up isn’t dangerous. Cook first: cooking is needed for safety (for daylilies it is a precaution, not a sourced requirement). Eat in moderation: a source says to limit quantity or frequency (for example oxalates in sorrels and dock, ginkgotoxin, safrole). Spray risk: a source says the plant is commonly treated with herbicide in parks or lawns (invasive control, lawn weeds) or, for ginkgo, sprayed to stop fruiting. Contamination: a source says the plant concentrates pollutants. Each plant’s Safety flags list gives the details and sources.

ID risk
Beginner
Why
No dangerous tree-fruit lookalike in the DC area; the toxic seeds and skin are large and obviously separate from the custard-like pulp.
Handling hazards
Irritant sap/pulp (minor)
Soil risk
low
ID risk: what this means

How hard it is to harvest safely. Beginner: no dangerous lookalike, and the edible part is not easily confused with a toxic part. Careful: a toxic lookalike, or toxic parts that end up in the harvest unless removed (for example elderberry stems, unripe ground cherries), or other parts of the plant rated medium-or-higher toxicity, with reliable features to separate them. Expert only: a potentially deadly lookalike that is hard to separate, or (for not-recommended harvests like pokeweed) a plant whose safe preparation can’t be guaranteed. Toxic parts that are obviously separate and thrown away anyway (pits, seeds, skins) don’t raise it; the Toxic parts mark carries that warning.

Handling hazards: what this means

Stings, thorns, irritating or phototoxic sap, staining hulls and spiny husks, with a severity: minor = brief discomfort; moderate = rash or blisters lasting days; serious = burns, scarring or medical care possible.

Soil risk: what this means

Based on the part you eat, following the urban-soil lead guidance on the Field safety page: higher for greens, shoots and roots; moderate for flowers; low for fruit, nuts and sap.

Field safety for every outing (poison ivy, ticks, soil, and more)

When to pick

Starts
late Aug
Peak
early Sep–mid Sep
Ends
mid Oct

Pawpaws ripen from the end of August or early September (Maryland DNR, 2018), most often in the first to third weeks of September (Maryland DNR, 2025). The National Park Service says the fruit begins to ripen in late summer and peaks in September and October, and the C&O Canal Trust also gives September and October. Some years run early: in 2024 the season peaked by the end of August (Washingtonian). Around DC, iNaturalist fruiting records peak from late August to mid-September and drop off sharply during the first week of October. A ripe fruit gives slightly when squeezed, like a peach, comes off with a gentle tug, and smells fruity (Kentucky State University). Many ripe fruits simply drop, so check the ground under fruiting trees (National Park Service). Color change is not a reliable sign of ripeness (Kentucky State University); Clemson describes the skin going from light green to yellowish at peak ripeness and black when overripe.

How the dates were worked out

Every start, peak and end was re-checked in October 2026. “Sourced” means a source opened during the check states that timing for the DC or Mid-Atlantic area. “Estimated” means no source states it exactly; the reason, the evidence and the source links are under “How the dates were worked out” on each plant’s page. Peaks are often estimated, because few sources name a peak. iNaturalist evidence means research-grade sightings near DC, by month, of the plant at that stage (for example, in fruit). iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.

Season basis: estimated: end

Start

sourced

Peak

sourced

End

estimated: NPS and the C&O Canal Trust include October but do not say how late; mid Oct is where regional iNaturalist fruiting records drop to near zero.

Evidence

start: Maryland DNR (2018): pawpaws ripen 'at the end of August/beginning of September'. Washingtonian (2024): that year the season 'peaked by the end of August'. iNaturalist DC fruiting records rise sharply in weeks 35-36 (late Aug-early Sep: 53, 41). | peak: Maryland DNR (2025): pawpaws 'generally become ripe in the first through third weeks of September in Maryland'. iNaturalist DC fruiting records peak in weeks 35-37 (53, 41, 25), i.e. late Aug to mid Sep. | end: NPS (National Capital Region): fruit 'peaks in September and October'; C&O Canal Trust: ripens 'in September and October'. iNaturalist: DC fruiting records fall from 9-10/week in late Sep to 2 in the first week of Oct (Oct total 4; latest DC records Oct 8 and Oct 23); MD/VA/DC records: 30 (Oct 1-7), 13 (Oct 8-14), 3 (Oct 15-21).

Where to look

Floodplain understory along the C&O Canal towpath (e.g., Carderock up to Great Falls MD), where picking is allowed; it is also abundant on Theodore Roosevelt Island and in Rock Creek Park, but picking is banned there.

Habitats
floodplain & stream-valley forest
Habitats: what this means

Listed where the plant’s own sources place it in that habitat. “Disturbed ground & waste places” means a cited source places it on disturbed areas, sites, soil or ground, on waste places or waste ground, on construction or abandoned building sites (old home sites count), on rubble or in strip mines. When the source gives examples of the disturbed places, at least one example must be of that kind. Examples that do not count: natural or forestry disturbance (treefall gaps, fire, windthrow, flood scour, old riverbanks and creeks, clear-cuts); roadsides, railroads and rights-of-way; and abandoned fields, pastures and farmland, which are “Old fields & meadows”. “Vacant lots” only where a source says vacant or empty lots.

Most-logged places

You may pick here

  • C&O Canal NHP (towpath, Georgetown to Great Falls MD and beyond)

    674 sightings · Legal to pick: yes · see them on iNaturalist

    Legal to pick under the C&O Canal compendium (by hand, personal use, daily limit; trail-side only at Great Falls MD). Of these, 102 are at Carderock.

No picking here (4 places)
  • Theodore Roosevelt Island

    319 sightings · Legal to pick: no · see them on iNaturalist

    Look but don’t pick: GW Memorial Parkway sites (incl. Great Falls VA, Theodore Roosevelt Island, Dyke Marsh) designate nothing for gathering.

  • Rock Creek Park

    248 sightings · Legal to pick: no · see them on iNaturalist

    Look but don’t pick: Rock Creek Park’s compendium bans gathering any fruit, nut, berry, seed or greenery.

  • Great Falls Park (VA)

    177 sightings · Legal to pick: no · see them on iNaturalist

    Look but don’t pick: GW Memorial Parkway sites (incl. Great Falls VA, Theodore Roosevelt Island, Dyke Marsh) designate nothing for gathering.

  • Riverbend Park

    152 sightings · Legal to pick: no · see them on iNaturalist

    Look but don’t pick: Fairfax County parks ban removing any plant part without written permission.

Most-logged places: what this means

The places with the most research-grade iNaturalist sightings within 25 km of downtown DC (re-counted in October 2026 over every named place, campuses, condominiums and private grounds included), each marked legal to pick or not. A sighting inside several named places counts once, for the smallest of them, but a sighting inside a National Park Service park never counts for a private, campus or unchecked place. iNaturalist shows where people walk and log plants, not true abundance. Private campuses, condominiums, museums, estates and utility land (Pepco’s power-line land near Sligo Creek) are marked “no” (pick only with the owner’s permission); public university campuses, city parks and other places whose picking rules were not checked (county stormwater land, the U.S. Capitol Grounds, Greenbelt’s North Woods, federal facilities such as the National Zoo) are “unknown”. A place needs at least 2 sightings, so plants with very few sightings (rugosa rose) have no places. No most-logged places are named for at-risk plants (ramps, chinquapin, American chestnut); chinquapin’s page names Mason Neck State Park, where picking is legal, and asks you to leave most nuts. For some places, mostly Rock Creek Park, the iNaturalist map shows more sightings than the count here, because a map link cannot leave out exactly the sightings credited to another place. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.

Ways to use it

  • eat fresh: cut in half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon; discard skin and seeds
  • substitute for banana in quick breads, cakes and cookies
  • ice cream, custards, pies and milkshakes
  • freeze pulp: freeze spoonfuls on a cookie sheet, then bag them (KSU). Pureed pulp freezes well (Clemson)
  • fermented into beer, wine or brandy
  • dried as fruit leather, for example blended with strawberries (Penn State)
  • freezer jam made with powdered pectin, kept refrigerated or frozen (Penn State; see Keeping for the one acidified canning exception)

Keeping

Within 3-5 days of picking ripe fruit, eat it or freeze the pulp; do NOT water-bath can plain pawpaw pulp or purée, because Penn State says there are no research-based canning recipes (KSU’s acidified jam is the only exception).

Use within
within a few days
Keeps fresh
Ripe fruit keeps only 3-5 days at room temperature; refrigerated, ripe fruit keeps about a week (Purdue; Clemson says up to 3 weeks at good eating quality). Fruit picked just before full ripeness can be refrigerated up to 3 weeks, then finished on the counter. Never eat skin or seeds.
Canning
extension recipe: acidified jam, only with a pH meter reading below 3.8 (Kentucky State). Penn State: no research-based canning recipes; freezer jam is the safe default
Keeping basis
specific to this plant

Ways to keep it

  • Dry as researched: dry/dehydrate; canning: n/a (not shelf-canned)

    As fruit leather, for example blended with strawberries (Penn State); follow NCHFP fruit-leather directions.

  • Ferment as researched: ferment/wine; canning: n/a (not shelf-canned)

    Clemson notes pawpaw makes a flavorful fruit wine.

  • Freeze as researched: freeze pulp; canning: n/a (not shelf-canned)

    Scoop the pulp, discard skin and seeds, purée or freeze spoonfuls on a cookie sheet and then bag them (KSU). Label with amount and date; use within about 12 months (Penn State, Purdue).

  • Jam/jelly as researched: jam/jelly; canning: extension recipe: acidified jam, only with a pH meter reading below 3.8 (Kentucky State) — follow exactly

    Freezer jam made with powdered pectin keeps up to 3 weeks in the fridge or 12 months frozen (Penn State). Penn State: there are no research-based recipes for canning pawpaws. Kentucky State publishes an acidified jam process (citric acid plus pectin, 10-minute water bath) that is safe only if you confirm the pH is below 3.8 with a calibrated pH meter; without one, make freezer jam.

Canning: what this means

Shelf-stable canning, three levels. Lab-tested: a lab-tested recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) or Oregon State covers this fruit and product, or a generic recipe for its kind (the line says so, for example chokeberry). Extension recipe: a published Extension recipe (University of Alaska Fairbanks, written for Alaska species; University of Maine’s dandelion jelly), or a process that is safe only with a pH meter; follow it exactly, never improvise. No tested recipe: refrigerate or freeze, don’t can. “Hot-bottled syrup” = maple and walnut syrup, which keep when bottled hot at full syrup density. The Canning line names the exact product each source covers, for example “whole berries” or “juice”; a product not named there (such as juice from a berry with only a whole-berry recipe) has no tested recipe.

Keeping basis: what this means

“Specific to this plant” or “general guidance for its type” (for example NCHFP guidance for leafy greens applied to a wild green).

Nutrition

How much of a day’s needs one standard serving (140 g) provides, using the FDA’s daily values and serving sizes. The FDA calls 20% or more “high” and 10–19% a “good source”. Every figure below is listed with its source; where the sources disagree, all of them are shown and no conclusion is drawn.

Vitamin C: the analyses differ

  • USDA 2025: 43% of daily value

    Sample: Asimina triloba (USDA’s species tag: Asimina triloba), 'Pawpaw, peeled, seeded, raw' (pulp, skin and seeds removed), cultivated: 7 orchard samples bought Aug 18 - Oct 7 2024 from growers in MI, MD, KY ('KT' in USDA’s data), IN, NC, OH, PA; named cultivars on 5 of 7 samples: 'Shenandoah', 'NC-1', 'Rhapahannock' [sic], 'Wabash', 'Hanna'; 7 data points

    Recorded: 27.6 mg (per 100 g pulp (peeled, seeded), raw). Working: 27.6 mg per 100 g × 140 g ÷ 100 = 38.64 mg; daily value 90 mg; 43%.

    Pawpaw, peeled, seeded, raw (FDC ID 2727577, NDB 100382), published 2025-04-24

  • Nam et al. 2018: 2% of daily value

    Sample: Asimina triloba, cultivated, farm near Okchon, South Korea, Sept 2016; fruit 150-300 g from 25-30 trees aged 8-10 years; fruits peeled and seeds removed (column 'Fruit' = fruit pulp); cultivar not stated; stored at -70 °C; number analyzed: 3

    Recorded: 0.98 mg/100 g FW (per 100 g fresh weight of fruit pulp (peeled, seeds removed), raw). Working: 0.98 mg per 100 g × 140 g ÷ 100 = 1.372 mg; daily value 90 mg; 2%.

    Nutritional compositions in roots, twigs, leaves, fruit pulp, and seeds from pawpaw (Asimina triloba) grown in Korea

  • Pande & Akoh 2010: 15% of daily value

    Sample: Asimina triloba, fruits 'collected randomly from different cultivars at the university experimental farm, Tifton, GA', harvested at optimum ripeness; cultivars and year not stated; triplicate analyses (mean ± SD)

    Recorded: 9.8 mg (per 100 g fresh weight (FW) of pulp (edible portion; peel and seeds analyzed separately)). Working: 9.8 mg per 100 g × 140 g ÷ 100 = 13.72 mg; daily value 90 mg; 15%.

    Organic acids, antioxidant capacity, phenolic content and lipid characterisation of Georgia-grown underutilized fruit crops

Folate: high

Unconfirmed: only one analysis, and it would rank 1 of 88 raw fruits in USDA SR Legacy.

  • USDA 2025: 41% of daily value

    Sample: Asimina triloba (USDA’s species tag: Asimina triloba), 'Pawpaw, peeled, seeded, raw' (pulp, skin and seeds removed), cultivated: 7 orchard samples bought Aug 18 - Oct 7 2024 from growers in MI, MD, KY ('KT' in USDA’s data), IN, NC, OH, PA; named cultivars on 5 of 7 samples: 'Shenandoah', 'NC-1', 'Rhapahannock' [sic], 'Wabash', 'Hanna'; 7 data points

    Recorded: 116.1 µg (per 100 g pulp (peeled, seeded), raw). Working: 116.1 µg per 100 g × 140 g ÷ 100 = 162.54 µg; daily value 400 µg; 41%.

    Pawpaw, peeled, seeded, raw (FDC ID 2727577, NDB 100382), published 2025-04-24

Dietary fiber: the analyses differ

  • USDA 2025: 17% of daily value

    Sample: Asimina triloba (USDA’s species tag: Asimina triloba), 'Pawpaw, peeled, seeded, raw' (pulp, skin and seeds removed), cultivated: 7 orchard samples bought Aug 18 - Oct 7 2024 from growers in MI, MD, KY ('KT' in USDA’s data), IN, NC, OH, PA; named cultivars on 5 of 7 samples: 'Shenandoah', 'NC-1', 'Rhapahannock' [sic], 'Wabash', 'Hanna'; 7 data points

    Recorded: 3.3 g (per 100 g pulp (peeled, seeded), raw). Working: 3.3 g per 100 g × 140 g ÷ 100 = 4.62 g; daily value 28 g; 17%.

    Pawpaw, peeled, seeded, raw (FDC ID 2727577, NDB 100382), published 2025-04-24

  • Brannan et al. 2021: 23% of daily value

    Sample: Asimina triloba, cultivated, Fox Paw Farm, Adams County, Ohio, harvested Sept 2019; one fruit from each of 16 cultivars ('Estill', 'Green River Belle', 'IXL', 'KSU Atwood', 'Lynn’s Favorite', 'Mango', 'Mitchell', 'NC-1', 'Overleese', 'Pickle', 'Potomac', 'Quakers Delight', 'SAA-Zimmerman', 'SAB Overleese', 'Shenandoah', 'Wabash') pooled into 4 compositionally identical varietal composites; skin and seeds removed by hand; pulp held at -20 °C before analysis; 9 coded bags, each analyzed in triplicate (Q Laboratories; fiber by Medallion Labs)

    Recorded: 4.5 g (per 100 g pulp (without skin), raw (frozen before analysis)). Working: 4.5 g per 100 g × 140 g ÷ 100 = 6.3 g; daily value 28 g; 23%.

    A comparative analysis of pawpaw (Asimina triloba) quality and nutritional data

  • Nam et al. 2018: 15% of daily value

    Sample: Asimina triloba, cultivated, farm near Okchon, South Korea, Sept 2016; fruit 150-300 g from 25-30 trees aged 8-10 years; fruits peeled and seeds removed (column 'Fruit' = fruit pulp); cultivar not stated; stored at -70 °C; number analyzed: 3

    Recorded: 3.03 % fresh weight (per 100 g fresh weight of fruit pulp (peeled, seeds removed), raw). Working: 3.03 g per 100 g × 140 g ÷ 100 = 4.242 g; daily value 28 g; 15%.

    Nutritional compositions in roots, twigs, leaves, fruit pulp, and seeds from pawpaw (Asimina triloba) grown in Korea

Other figures, each under 10% of daily value (15)
  • Brannan et al. 2021: Calcium 1%; Iron 2%; Potassium 6%
  • Brannan et al. 2025: Vitamin A 6%
  • Nam et al. 2018: Calcium 1%; Iron 2%; Magnesium 4%; Potassium 7%; Vitamin A 1%
  • USDA 2025: Calcium 1%; Iron 1%; Magnesium 4%; Manganese 3%; Potassium 7%; Zinc 1%
Figures left out, and why (9 studies; 5 with no figure used)

The calendar counts a study with no figure used here when one of its vitamin, mineral or dietary fiber figures was left out as a dried sample, another part, or for an unclear species, part or basis; figures given per amount of juice are not counted.

  • USDA 2025 (other figures from this study are used above): no FDA daily value; not measured in the cited work: USDA marks this value 'Summed' (AI’s explanation: sum of the measured individual sugars); not measured in the cited work: USDA marks this value 'Calculated' (AI’s explanation: from measured nitrogen); protein: the FDA percent daily value for protein must be corrected for protein quality (PDCAAS, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)), which this analysis does not report
  • Brannan et al. 2021 (other figures from this study are used above): carbohydrate has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber; no FDA daily value; not measured in the cited work: by difference: Tab. 5 row 'Carbohydrates (by difference)'; not measured in the cited work: calculated, not measured: Tab. 5 footnote 1 'KCal calculated from proximate analysis (moisture, lipid, protein, carbohydrate)'; text p. 128 'Kilocalories calculated from the proximates'; not measured in the cited work: calculated: Tab. 5 row 'Total Sugars (calculated)'; protein: the FDA percent daily value for protein must be corrected for protein quality (PDCAAS, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)), which this analysis does not report; total fat has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber
  • Nam et al. 2018 (other figures from this study are used above): carbohydrate has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber; no FDA daily value; not measured in the cited work: by difference: 'The carbohydrate content was calculated as the weight of the entire sample less the moisture, crude ash, crude protein, and crude lipid' (Nam et al. 2018, methods); protein: the FDA percent daily value for protein must be corrected for protein quality (PDCAAS, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)), which this analysis does not report; total fat has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber
  • Peterson et al. 1982 (counted in the calendar): carbohydrate has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber; no FDA daily value; not measured in the cited work: copied from Peterson, Cherry & Simmons 1982 (secondary: reproduced in Brannan et al. 2021 Tab. 5, column 'Pulp and Skin / PETERSON et al., 1982 / 100 g'; not measured by Brannan; primary not seen); not measured in the cited work: copied from Peterson, Cherry & Simmons 1982 via the KSU page (secondary reproduction; primary not seen); not measured in the cited work: not stated by the source; appears converted from the 87 IU value (87/10 = 8.7 for beta-carotene), i.e. not a separate measurement; copied from Peterson et al. 1982 via the KSU page; protein: the FDA percent daily value for protein must be corrected for protein quality (PDCAAS, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)), which this analysis does not report; round-1 source without a basis/part call; species, part or state not clear: Peterson et al. 1982 value as reproduced by Brannan et al. 2021 (secondary); pulp with skin; species, part or state not clear: species and raw state match, but the part analyzed was pulp with skin, not the pulp-only part in the dataset; secondary reproduction of a 1982 report that could not be read; total fat has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber; unit not converted: RE (per 100 grams edible portion as stated, but analyzed as pulp WITH skin (Table 2 note a)); unit not converted: grams (per 100 grams edible portion as stated, but analyzed as pulp WITH skin (Table 2 note a)); unit not converted: milligrams (per 100 grams edible portion as stated, but analyzed as pulp WITH skin (Table 2 note a))
  • Ito & Baba 1957: no FDA daily value; protein: the FDA percent daily value for protein must be corrected for protein quality (PDCAAS, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)), which this analysis does not report; species, part or state not clear: exact species; part (pulp only or whole fruit) and basis not stated in the table; total fat has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber
  • Grygorieva et al. 2021 (counted in the calendar): basis not clear: percent of the pulp material as analyzed; basis not stated (inferred dry basis, see dry matter 87.07 %); dry or dried basis: per kg dry weight of pulp material (text: "mg/kg DWP"); dry or dried basis: per kg of pulp material as analyzed; Table 2 states no basis; INFERRED dry basis: Table 1 gives total dry matter of the pulp material as 87.07 %, and the text gives tocopherol and oil on a dry-weight basis; dry or dried basis: percent of dry weight of the pulp material (stated in text: "dry weight plant material"); dry or dried basis: total dry matter of the pulp material as analyzed (not of fresh pulp); no FDA daily value; protein: the FDA percent daily value for protein must be corrected for protein quality (PDCAAS, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)), which this analysis does not report; species, part or state not clear: exact species and part; basis not stated (inferred dry); species, part or state not clear: exact species and part; basis not stated (inferred dry); measured as total carotenoids by spectrophotometry, expressed as beta-carotene; total carotenoids cannot be converted to vitamin A (µg RAE); total fat has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber
  • Ňorbová et al. 2023 (counted in the calendar): species, part or state not clear: exact species; peeled fruit, seed removal not stated
  • de Moraes et al. 2020 (counted in the calendar): dry or dried basis: per g dry weight of lyophilized pulp (skin and seeds removed); moisture of the fresh pulp not reported
  • Pande & Akoh 2010 (other figures from this study are used above): species, part or state not clear: exact species and part; total carotenoids by spectrophotometry (450 nm) expressed as beta-carotene equivalents, not beta-carotene itself; species, part or state not clear: exact species; part is fruit without seeds (pulp plus peel), not pulp only; species, part or state not clear: exact species; part is fruit without seeds (pulp plus peel); basis inferred by AI: fresh; total carotenoids cannot be converted to vitamin A (µg RAE); total fat has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber
What was searched
  • Europe PMC: searched 2026-10-09, 165 records; 161 after removing duplicates across databases; 1 candidates by title and abstract; 1 read in full; 1 with figures used
  • PubMed: searched 2026-10-09, 44 records; 44 after removing duplicates across databases; 1 candidates by title and abstract; 1 read in full; 1 with figures used
  • OpenAlex: searched 2026-10-09, 762 records; 756 after removing duplicates across databases; 8 candidates by title and abstract; 5 read in full; 4 with figures used
  • Crossref: searched 2026-10-09, 148 records; 148 after removing duplicates across databases; 2 candidates by title and abstract; 2 read in full; 2 with figures used
  • J-STAGE (Japan): searched 2026-10-09, 29 records; 29 after removing duplicates across databases; 1 candidates by title and abstract; 1 read in full; 1 with figures used
  • USDA FoodData Central (online search): searched 2026-10-09, 1 records; 1 after removing duplicates across databases; 0 candidates by title and abstract; 0 read in full; 0 with figures used
  • USDA FoodData Central (downloaded SR Legacy 2018 and Foundation 2026 tables): searched 2026-10-09, 1 records; 1 after removing duplicates across databases; 0 candidates by title and abstract; 0 read in full; 0 with figures used
  • All databases together: 1150 records from all databases, 1005 unique, 9 candidates, 6 read, 5 used; 3 not read (paywalled 1, blocked automated access 0, not online 2)
  • KCI (Korea), CNKI (China), SciELO (Latin America), CORE, USDA’s AGRICOLA and PubAg, Google Scholar, and national food composition tables other than USDA’s: not searched (October 2026).

The counts are of papers new in this search. Sources found before this search (such as USDA’s entries) were not counted again.

Each database was searched for the plant’s scientific and common names together with nutrient words (composition, nutrient, vitamin, mineral, fiber, protein and others), in titles and abstracts only. Papers that don’t name the plant there, and words not on the list (such as fat, energy and moisture), were missed unless another paper led to them; the AI researchers found some that way.

Found but not read (4)

Collected in October 2026 by AI research agents, following written rules; the calendar’s figures were then checked independently.

Native or not

Origin
native
Native range
eastern North America
Virginia invasive rank
not listed
Maryland invasive status
not listed
Native or not, and the invader stars: what this means

Origin is where the plant comes from: native, non-native, or mixed (the harvest covers both). The stars rate plants on invasive plant lists: ★★★ Virginia DCR “High” or Maryland prohibited invasive · ★★ Virginia “Medium” · ★ Virginia “Low” · ☆ listed only by the Maryland Invasive Species Council or the Mid-Atlantic Plant Invaders guide (advisory) · no stars: native or not listed.

Virginia DCR, Virginia Invasive Plant Species List (effective September 2024), verbatim: "Under the DCR Invasive Species Assessment Protocol, approved by the Virginia Invasive Species Working Group, January 2024, species were ranked as exhibiting high, medium or low levels of invasiveness based on their threat to natural communities and native species. Invasiveness rank is higher for species that: • Alter ecosystem processes, such as succession, hydrology or fire regime. • Are capable of invading undisturbed natural communities. • Cause substantial impacts on rare or vulnerable species or natural communities or high-quality examples of more common communities. • Are found widely distributed and generally abundant where present. • Disperse readily to new areas. • Are difficult to control." The list also states: "The list is for educational purposes only and has no regulatory authority."

Maryland Department of Agriculture, Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant Law and Regulations page, verbatim: "Plants on the Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List may not be added to stock after the effective date and should not be sold after their phase-out period ends."

No official DC invasive plant list was found.

How the ratings were set

Find
Common in the right habitat Estimate 4,030 = 3,670 research-grade iNaturalist sightings within 25 km + 84 needs-ID sightings counted in full (pawpaw is the only Asimina with research-grade sightings here) + 276 'cultivated' (planted) sightings (rule A); that is tier 1 by count (rule B). Rule C: none of its sources says it is common in, or a weed of, an everyday place (lawns, sidewalks, yards or gardens, vacant lots, towns), and DC’s street-tree inventory lists 47 living pawpaws, under the line of one per km of DC sidewalk (2,406), so it cannot be tier 1 (Everywhere). Final tier 2.
Effort
Grab & eat Cut the ripe fruit in half, spoon out the pulp and discard the skin and seeds; baking with the pulp or freezing it is optional extra work.
Find: what this means

1 Everywhere · 2 Common in the right habitat · 3 Patchy · 4 Elusive. This is about how much there is, not whether you may pick it. It is based on iNaturalist sightings within 25 km (about 15 miles) of downtown DC, counted on October 3, 2026. The four rules that each plant’s “Find” reason refers to: (A) the estimate is the confirmed sightings, plus the unconfirmed ones (scaled down where the plant has lookalikes in its genus), plus the sightings marked as planted; (B) the tier by estimate: 1,500 or more is tier 1, 250–1,499 tier 2, 50–249 tier 3, under 50 tier 4; (C) tier 1, Everywhere, also needs a source saying the plant is common in lawns, sidewalks, yards or gardens, vacant lots or towns, or at least one DC street tree of it per km of sidewalk, otherwise it is tier 2; (D) if a reliable source says the plant is rare in this region, or that wild plants rarely bear the harvest, only planted sightings count. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.

Effort: what this means

1 Grab & eat · 2 Quick kitchen prep (under about 30 minutes) · 3 Real work (hours, or cooking needed for safety) · 4 Project (days or equipment). Scored on the simplest worthwhile use; each plant’s page says why.

Sources

25 sources, each linked to the original.

  1. C&O Canal NHP Superintendent’s Compendium National Park ServiceBacks up: picking rules
  2. Rock Creek Park Superintendent’s Compendium National Park ServiceBacks up: picking rules
  3. Pawpaw FAQ Kentucky State University Pawpaw ProgramBacks up: description
  4. Pawpaw (HGIC factsheet) Clemson Cooperative ExtensionBacks up: description, uses, safety, storage, keeping
  5. DC street-tree inventory (DDOT Urban Forestry, UFA Street Trees layer): living trees by species, queried 2026-10-05 (47 living pawpaws) District of Columbia (DDOT Urban Forestry Division, via DC GIS)Backs up: findability
  6. iNaturalist research-grade observations of Asimina triloba within 25 km of downtown DC iNaturalistBacks up: findability
  7. Pawpaw (FoodLink produce sheet) Purdue Extension FoodLinkBacks up: keeping
  8. Fruit Leathers National Center for Home Food Preservation (Univ. of Georgia)Backs up: keeping
  9. USDA PLANTS Database: Asimina triloba (ASTR), native status USDA NRCSBacks up: native or invasive status
  10. Virginia Invasive Plant Species List (effective date: September 2024) Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural HeritageBacks up: native or invasive status
  11. Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant Law and Regulations (Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List, updated January 2026; additions effective July 15, 2026; 'Next Plants To Be Assessed' 2026-2027) Maryland Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection & Weed ManagementBacks up: native or invasive status
  12. Non-Native Invasive Terrestrial Plant Species in the State of Maryland (updates approved through the April 18, 2024 MISC meeting) Maryland Invasive Species CouncilBacks up: native or invasive status
  13. Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, Field Guide (Swearingen & Fulton, 2022; successor to the NPS/USFWS 5th ed., 2017) Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council / Passiflora Press (hosted by Bugwood/Mid-Atlantic Invaders Tool)Backs up: native or invasive status
  14. Invasive Plants in the District DC Department of Energy & EnvironmentBacks up: native or invasive status
  15. Wild Edibles of Missouri (Jan Phillips) Missouri Department of ConservationBacks up: safety, uses
  16. Pawpaw research-grade observations within 25 km of DC, by month (fruiting annotation) iNaturalistBacks up: season
  17. Pawpaw research-grade observations Maryland, Virginia and DC, by week (fruiting annotation) iNaturalistBacks up: season
  18. Pawpaw research-grade observations within 25 km of DC, with photos (fruiting annotation) iNaturalistBacks up: season
  19. Pawpaw: Small Tree, Big Impact National Park Service, National Capital RegionBacks up: season, description, habitat
  20. There’s Nothing Like Pawpaw Season C&O Canal TrustBacks up: season, description, habitat, picking rules
  21. Habichat: Paw-Paw Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesBacks up: season, description, habitat, safety
  22. Native Plant Profile: Favored Fruit Trees Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesBacks up: season, description, habitat, safety, uses, storage, picking rules
  23. Pawpaw Season Is Here. Where to Taste DC’s “Tropical” Fruit—and Pick Them (2024) WashingtonianBacks up: season, habitat, picking rules, uses, storage
  24. Pawpaw Recipes and Uses Kentucky State University Pawpaw ProgramBacks up: uses, storage, keeping
  25. Pawpaw Fruit in the Garden and the Kitchen Penn State ExtensionBacks up: uses, keeping