Papaya
9
9
5Will it grow where I live?
Papaya is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 10): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
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Profile
- Family
- Caricaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Height
- 7.5 m
- Spread
- 4 m
- Growth
- very fast
- Lifespan
- 5 years
- First yield
- after 1 year
- Full yield
- after 2 years
- Yield per plant
- up to 50 kg a year
- Yield in cultivation
- up to 25 t/ha
- Energy yield
- 1000 kcal per m² a year
- Hardiness
- zone 10–12
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- moist – very moist
- pH
- 5.5 – 7.5
Flowering & harvest
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Fruit harvest |
Uses
Other uses: Latex (rich in papain) (cosmetics (skin creams), termite control, beer clarification, degumming of natural silk); leaves (crushed+water) (soap substitute); wood (does not lignify: soft, light, fleshy);
Notable
Special features: Extremely fast (often bears fruit after only 6 months); Very short lifespan (yields decline sharply after 1-4 years, hence commercially cleared every 1-2 years); Requires even rainfall (1500–2500 mm/year), cultivated from 32°N/S There are also cultivars with hermaphroditic flowers; There are even reports of 80t/ha and over 50kg per tree or plant.
Frequently asked questions
Papaya: how big does it get?
Papaya (Carica papaya) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 7.5 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 4 m. Growth is very fast.
Papaya: what site does it need?
Papaya tolerates light shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range moist – very moist. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.5.
Papaya: is it hardy?
Papaya is listed as hardy in zone 10–12 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Papaya: will it grow in Central Europe?
Papaya is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 10): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
Papaya: when does it flower?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers from May to October.
Papaya: when is it harvested?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate the fruit ripens from August to February.
Papaya: when does it start cropping, and how much?
Papaya crops in its first year. Full yield comes after 2 years. A mature plant gives up to 50 kg a year, in cultivation up to 25 t per hectare. Figures assume a good site; variety, soil and climate shift them considerably.
Papaya: is it poisonous?
Individual parts of Papaya are noted as mildly problematic — the plant does not count as poisonous. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone, only on a confident identification.
Papaya: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 9/10, Medicinal 9/10, Other uses 5/10.
Plan this plant into your own garden
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Community experience
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