Editing Asimina triloba (section)

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==

Pawpaw flowers are self-incompatible: reliable fruit set generally requires pollen from a genetically different pawpaw tree. Flies and beetles are reported pollinators, and hand pollination can help where natural pollinator activity is insufficient. Planting more than one genetically different tree improves the chance of a crop. <sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> <sup>[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup>

Trees may need several years of growth before they develop structure capable of carrying fruit; one extension account gives about three to four years for that stage, while actual bearing varies with cultivar, propagation, climate, and plant age. Fruit is produced in late summer into autumn and should be harvested as it softens and reaches its mature eating quality rather than by a single universal date. <sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> <sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup> <sup>[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup>

Cultivated yields can be substantial but vary by tree and site; Clemson gives a qualified range of about 25–50 pounds per tree under cultivation. That figure is a production reference, not a guarantee for an individual planting. <sup>[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup>