Pawpaw in Zone 5a & 5b
Asimina triloba
Yes, pawpaw grows in zones 5a and 5b and comes back each year. Set out nursery plants May 10–May 17.
When to plant pawpaw in zone 5b
Zones 5a and 5b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Buy as a start: Buy as a nursery start and transplant outside. It's slow or unreliable from seed, so most gardeners skip seed-starting it entirely.
| Start indoors | Not started from seed; buy as a nursery start |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | May 10–May 17 |
| Estimated harvest | First real harvest in year 5 |
Spacing: about 50 square feet per plant (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 15-20 ft.
Before you plant: Pawpaw has a winter-hardiness note for zone 5b. See the details below.
Plant alongside it in zone 5b
These go outside within two weeks of pawpaw in zone 5b, so one planting day can cover them.
- MulberryMay 10–May 17
- QuinceMay 10–May 17
- AppleApr 26–May 3
- ApricotApr 26–May 3
- Aronia (Black Chokeberry)Apr 26–May 3
- ElderberryApr 26–May 3
Pawpaw is a native North American understory tree that produces the largest edible fruit native to the continent, with a custard-like pulp whose flavor is often compared to mango, banana, papaya, and citrus all at once.
How pawpaw fits zone 5's season
Zone 5b's frost-free window runs about 148 days, from May 10 to October 5. Pawpaw takes about 4 growing seasons to reach first worthwhile harvest, so what matters here is how many of these seasons it gets, not whether one is long enough.
Pawpaw is hardy in zones 5-9, so in zone 5b it stays in the ground through winter and comes back rather than being replanted. Allow about 8 ft of spread at maturity.
Pawpaw planting windows in every zone
Zone 5b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5a & 5b (your zone) | Buy as a start | May 10–May 17 | First real harvest in year 5 |
| 6a & 6b | Buy as a start | Apr 25–May 2 | First real harvest in year 5 |
| 7a & 7b | Buy as a start | Apr 10–Apr 17 | First real harvest in year 5 |
| 8a & 8b | Buy as a start | Mar 25–Apr 1 | First real harvest in year 5 |
| 9a & 9b | Buy as a start | Feb 15–Feb 22 | First real harvest in year 5 |
Good companions
No well-established companions for pawpaw.
Where to buy pawpaw starts
Pawpaw is almost always bought as a nursery start rather than seeded. Check a local nursery or garden center; we haven't vetted online start/plant suppliers yet.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page also go to other retailers we may earn a commission from as an affiliate, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products with a clear consensus of positive, independent reviews, or ones we bought and use ourselves. Each item on our gear page says which.
See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing pawpaw" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 5b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
Pin this for later
Growing Pawpaw in USDA zone 5b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.
Save to Pinterest