Maria's Joy Pawpaw is a cold-hardy fruit tree that thrives in zones 5 through 9, bred by Jerry Lehman of Terre Haute, Indiana, and named to honor Maria Plekhanovna, a cherished mentor and guide. Each fruit grows to a remarkable 1 pound or occasionally larger, with medium-to-large kidney-shaped flesh that tastes like banana crossed with tropical sweetness. A well-known fruit author declared it the finest-tasting pawpaw he'd ever encountered, and the variety proved its merit by winning the 2012 Ohio Pawpaw competition. Plant it in full sun to partial shade with moderate water and slightly acidic soil, and you'll be rewarded with fruit that reaches peak flavor in late fall.
Partial Sun
Moderate
5-9
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Low
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Jerry Lehman's award-winning creation delivers the kind of fruit flavor that stops people mid-bite. The individual fruits weigh 8 to 14 ounces on average, yet some reach a full pound, and that kidney-shaped yellow flesh carries a banana-like sweetness so pronounced that a respected fruit authority called it the best pawpaw he'd ever tasted. Growing it requires patience but no exotic care; the tree survives serious cold in zone 5 and asks only for moderate moisture and a spot with good light to produce exceptional fruit that ripens in the fall.
As an edible fruit, Maria's Joy pawpaws are eaten fresh, straight from the hand, or spooned directly from the skin once ripe. The creamy, banana-like flesh makes them well-suited to eating raw, and the large size of individual fruits makes each one a meaningful harvest. They can be chilled and enjoyed as a dessert fruit or incorporated into preserves, though their primary use centers on fresh consumption to capture the full, delicate sweetness that earned the variety its acclaim.
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Start Maria's Joy pawpaw seeds indoors in a warm location maintained between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Sow seeds in a moistened seed-starting mix and keep the medium consistently damp but not soggy. Germination can take several weeks to several months, so patience is essential. Plan seed starting 2 to 3 months before your last spring frost to give seedlings time to develop before transplanting outdoors.
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor light, wind, and temperature fluctuations. Transplant outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed, typically in late spring. Choose a location with full sun to partial shade and space young trees 15 to 20 feet apart to allow room for mature growth. Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball, backfill with amended soil, water deeply, and mulch lightly to retain moisture.
Harvest Maria's Joy pawpaws in late fall, from September through November, once the fruit skin shifts from green to a yellowish tone and yields slightly to gentle hand pressure. Individual fruits typically weigh 8 to 14 ounces, though some reach a full pound; pick fruits when they feel slightly soft but not mushy. The easiest method is to gently cradle the fruit in your palm and twist it from the branch, or use pruning shears if the stem resists. Allow harvested fruits to sit at room temperature for several days to fully ripen and develop peak flavor before eating or storing.
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“Maria's Joy emerged from the careful selection work of Jerry Lehman, a pawpaw enthusiast in Terre Haute, Indiana, who devoted himself to identifying and breeding superior pawpaw cultivars. Lehman named this variety as a tribute to Maria Plekhanovna, someone he deeply respected and credited as a guide in his horticultural journey. The cultivar's credentials were sealed in 2012 when it won the Ohio Pawpaw competition, a recognition that reflected not just its large fruit size but the remarkable quality of flavor that made it a standout among pawpaw varieties. This award brought Maria's Joy into wider cultivation and onto the lists of serious home gardeners seeking the finest pawpaws.”