How to grow Pawpaw in Australia
Pawpaw, or papaya, is a fast-growing tropical plant with a single soft trunk, a crown of large leaves and sweet orange or red fruit. In warm areas it can fruit within a year of planting and crops almost all year round. It needs warmth, sun and sharp drainage, as cold and wet roots kill it quickly.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Pawpaw in Australia
At a glance
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | September to March | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | September to March | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | October to January | Marginal tropical; fast-growing, prolific in warm pockets; frost-sensitive seedlings. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | Not suited | Frost kills seedlings instantly. Melbourne winter unsuitable unless greenhouse or extreme south-facing shelter. Not viable outdoors. |
| Adelaide & SA | Not suited | Not viable in Adelaide. Pawpaw needs year-round tropical warmth and humidity. |
| Perth & WA | Not suited | Mediterranean: unsuitable. Pawpaw requires tropical humidity and year-round warmth (min 10°C+). Only Adelaide/Perth microclimates near coast. |
| Tasmania | Not suited | Unsuitable. Tropical. Frost kills it instantly. Not viable in Tasmania. |
| Canberra & ACT | Not suited | Pawpaw unsuitable for Canberra: too tropical; requires consistent warmth and cannot tolerate frost. Consider custard apple instead. |
| North Queensland | September to March | Spring/wet season Sep to Mar. Pawpaw is tropical fruit heartland crop; fruits year-round in north. First crop 12 to 18 months. |
| Darwin & Top End | September to March | Spring/wet season Sep to Mar. Pawpaw is tropical fruit heartland crop; fruits year-round in north. First crop 12 to 18 months. |
Where to plant
Plant pawpaws in full sun in a warm, frost-free spot sheltered from strong wind, in deep, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Drainage is essential: waterlogged soil causes root and stem rot, which is the most common cause of death. Plant on a raised mound if your soil is heavy or the site gets wet.
Pawpaws grow and crop fast but are short lived. Plants produce well for about two to three years, so plant replacements every few years.
- North Queensland and Darwin: the best pawpaw country, where plants fruit all year. In the Northern Territory plant in the early dry season.
- South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: grow well in a warm, sheltered spot with excellent drainage.
- Sydney: marginal. Plant in late spring or summer in the warmest, most sheltered pocket and protect young plants from cold.
- Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and Hobart: not suited outdoors; they are too cold.
Choosing a variety
Pawpaw plants can be male, with long hanging stems of flowers, or female, with flowers held close to the trunk where the leaves join. Only female or fruiting plants bear fruit, and they need a male nearby to pollinate them. Seedlings cannot be sexed until they flower, so plant two or three per spot and remove extra males once they flower, keeping about one male for every ten females. Buying a named plant from a nursery takes the guesswork out.
Varieties that grow well in the Northern Territory include Northern Territory red and Hawaiian sunrise yellow; ask a local nursery for types suited to your area.
How to plant
- Raise seedlings from fresh seed in punnets of seed raising mix in warm weather, or buy young plants.
- Build a wide mound of soil enriched with compost in a sunny, sheltered spot.
- Plant two or three seedlings per mound, without disturbing their roots, about 2 m apart.
- Water in and keep the soil moist, not wet, until the plants are established.
- When they flower, remove extra male plants.
Watering and feeding
Water regularly and deeply in warm weather, as pawpaws are thirsty, fast-growing plants, but let the surface dry between waterings and never let water pool around the trunk. Cut back watering in cool weather, when roots rot more easily.
Feed with a balanced fruit fertiliser or compost and manure regularly through the warm growing season. Keep mulch a hand's width away from the trunk.
Pruning and care through the year
- Keep the base of the trunk dry and free of mulch to prevent collar and stem rot.
- Remove old, yellowing lower leaves to keep the plant clean.
- Pick up and destroy fallen fruit, which carries fruit fly and Phytophthora.
- Replace plants every two to three years, as yield and fruit size decline.
Harvesting
Pick fruit at the first sign of yellow or orange on the skin. It continues to ripen after picking. Cut it with a short stalk and ripen it on the bench until it is soft and coloured, then keep it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Picking at first colour also beats birds and fruit fly. Green fruit can be harvested and used as a vegetable.
Using it
Eat ripe pawpaw fresh with a squeeze of lime, in fruit salads and smoothies, or dried. Green pawpaw is shredded into salads and cooked as a vegetable in Asian cooking, and the flesh can be made into jams and pickles. The leaves have been used to tenderise meat.
Pests and diseases
Wet roots, fungal diseases in humid weather and fruit fly are the main problems.
Pests to watch for
- Fruit fly Sting marks and soft, rotting patches with maggots in ripening fruit. Pick at first colour and destroy fallen fruit.
- Spider mite Fine pale speckling and yellowing of leaves in hot, dry weather.
Diseases to watch for
- Phytophthora Seedlings collapse; older plants yellow, wilt and drop leaves, with rotten roots or brown sunken cankers at the base of the trunk after wet weather; green fruit develop water-soaked patches with white mould.
- Anthracnose Small pink, then brown to black, sunken spots on ripening fruit, often with salmon-pink spores.
- Papaya ringspot virus Mottled, distorted leaves and dark ring spots on the fruit, spread by aphids. Remove and destroy infected plants.
- Black spot Small dark spots on older leaves with black spore masses underneath, then leaf drop. Remove badly affected leaves.
Common questions
How do I tell a male pawpaw from a female?
Only when they flower. Male plants carry flowers on long hanging stems. Female flowers sit close to the trunk where the leaves join, and they are the ones that form fruit.
Why is my pawpaw tree not fruiting?
It may be a male plant, which never fruits, or a female with no male nearby. Young plants also need about 9 to 12 months, longer in cooler areas, before they fruit.
How long does a pawpaw take to fruit?
In the tropics about 9 to 12 months after planting; in cooler subtropical areas it can take 12 to 18 months. Plants then crop for about two to three years.
Why is my pawpaw tree dying?
Usually root or stem rot caused by wet soil. The leaves yellow and wilt and the trunk may rot at the base. Plant on a mound in free-draining soil, keep mulch off the trunk and water less in cool weather.
When should I pick pawpaw?
At the first sign of yellow or orange on the skin. The fruit continues to ripen on the bench, and picking early beats birds and fruit fly.
Can I grow pawpaw in Sydney?
It is marginal. In a warm, sheltered spot with excellent drainage it can fruit, but cold winters slow ripening and young plants need protection.
Sources we checked: NT Government: Growing papaya at home; Business Queensland: Papaya Phytophthora diseases; Business Queensland: Papaya ripe fruit rots; Business Queensland: Papaya leaf diseases.