Pawpaw in Zone 7a & 7b
Asimina triloba
Yes, pawpaw grows in zones 7a and 7b and comes back each year. Set out nursery plants Apr 10–Apr 17.
When to plant pawpaw in zone 7b
Zones 7a and 7b 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 | Apr 10–Apr 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 7b. See the details below.
Plant alongside it in zone 7b
These go outside within two weeks of pawpaw in zone 7b, so one planting day can cover them.
- MulberryApr 10–Apr 17
- QuinceApr 10–Apr 17
- AppleMar 27–Apr 3
- ApricotMar 27–Apr 3
- Aronia (Black Chokeberry)Mar 27–Apr 3
- ElderberryMar 27–Apr 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 7's season
Zone 7b's frost-free window runs about 198 days, from April 10 to October 25. 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 7b 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 7b 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 | 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 (your zone) | 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.
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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)
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Growing Pawpaw in USDA zone 7b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.
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