Papaya
Scientific Classification & Quick Facts
| Common name | Papaya |
| Scientific name | Carica papaya |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Brassicales |
| Family | Caricaceae |
| Genus | Carica |
| Conservation status | Data Deficient |
| Type | Tropical fruit tree with an unbranched trunk |
| Habitat | Hot regions with well-drained, loamy soil |
| Native range | Tropical Americas, from southern Mexico southwards |
| Size | Fruit 15–45 cm long |
| Colours | Ripe skin orange to amber |
| Edible parts | Soft, sweet fruit |
The Papaya (Carib in Spanish), pawpaw or papaw, is a fruit of the plant Carica papaya. Carica papaya is the only species in the genus Carica, which belongs to the family Caricaceae.
Anatomy
This tree does not have branches, unless you sever it. The flowers are similar to that of the Plumeria, with the exception that they are wax-like and smaller in size. They form at the axis of the leaves and grow into big fruits of length 15 to 45 cm (5.9 to 17.7 inches) and 10 to 30 cm (3.9 to 11.8 in) in diameter. As it ripens, it becomes soft (Perhaps soft as a ripe avocado or slightly softer) and the ripe papaya has a wonderful taste. Its skin is orange to amber in color.
Habitat
Photo by: Tim McCormack
They grow mainly in America’s tropical region extending to neighboring Central America and southern Mexico. Carica papaya belongs to the new world (the Western Hemisphere and the Americas), in Brazil, Belize, Colombia, Bolivia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Guyana, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, French Guiana, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Suriname, north Argentina and Venezuela. C papaya also grows in Cuba, Grenada, Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. Virgin islands, the U.S. state of Florida and Tanzania in Africa. Australia, the U.S. state of Hawaii and Philippines grow additional crops of C. Papaya.
GROWING AT HOME
Soil for Planting
- They grow in all varieties of well-drained soils.
- In case the soil is much wetter, they can become sick.
- Good soil for papayas is loamy soil.
Planting
- Prepare a hole twice as big as the container where the tender tree is growing.
- Mix a little manure and compost into the soil you remove from the hole.
- Remove the nursery plant from the container. In case of plastic container, pierce it at the side.
- Do not tamper with the roots.
- Centralize the tree in the hole; while filling the hole with the soil, hold it upright, keeping the base, in level with the surrounding ground.
Watering
- Papaya’s has only a limited need of water.
- In dry weather if you water papaya every fortnight, they will produce bigger fruits.
- If you do not give with enough water, the flowers wilt.
- In order to prevent stagnation of water in the clayey soil, prepare a ridge and plant your papaya on it.
Temperature and Humidity
- Hot regions are ideal to grow papayas.
- If you protect the papayas from the chilled winds, they manage mild frosts.
Care
- In the month of September, November and January provide the trees with four tablespoonfuls (115 g) of 2:3:2.
- Shower them around the tree evenly, do not shower them on the stem.
- Mulch the trees with grass, leaves, etc.
- The papaya tree trunk is very soft, hence avoid growing other plants near it. It is possible for the papaya tree to get diseases if its trunk suffers damage.
- In case you notice humps on the fruit, it indicates shortage of boron. Shower two tablespoonfuls of borax round the tree.
Pests and Pesticides
The papaya ring spot virus (PRV) can affect your papayas; this leads to early molting and malformation of the leaves. In the 1990s this virus posed a threat to devastate Hawail’s papaya industry totally. Black leaf spots appear on papaya trees quickly. Get guidance from your nearby co-operative office or extension officer on treatment of these diseases. The papaya tree is also vulnerable to fruit flies, they lay eggs in the fruit.
Harvest Month and Storage
- The ideal time to pick the fruit is when the color of its skin begins to turn yellow.
- The papaya fruit ripens after you pick them.
- The fruit bruises easily, so be careful in handling them.
Papaya FAQs
Where does papaya come from?
Papaya comes from the tropical parts of the Americas, including southern Mexico and Central America. It is also called pawpaw or papaw.
How big is a papaya fruit?
A papaya fruit is large, about 15 to 45 centimetres long and 10 to 30 centimetres wide. When ripe, the skin is orange to amber and the fruit goes soft.
How do you know when a papaya is ready to pick?
Pick a papaya when the skin starts to turn yellow. The fruit goes on ripening after it is picked, and it bruises easily, so handle it gently.
Does a papaya tree have branches?
No. A papaya tree does not branch unless you cut it. The soft trunk can be damaged easily, so keep other plants away from it.
What can harm papaya trees?
Papaya ring spot virus is a serious danger to papaya trees. It once threatened to wipe out Hawaii’s papaya industry in the 1990s. Fruit flies also lay eggs in the fruit.
Randi Jones is the owner and founder of the Nature Gift Store, an online retailer specializing in nature-themed gifts, educational science projects, live animal nature kits and real butterfly artwork. A biology graduate who fell in love with insects, she founded the company in 2001 to make active learning about nature fun, accessible and engaging for children and adults. Her store offers real butterfly frames, home and garden decor and educational live animal kits, including ant farms, worm farms, tadpoles, ladybugs and hermit crabs, and she runs a bug museum in Washington featuring live animals like Eddie the Iguana alongside other reptiles and insects.
