Ford Amend Pawpaw is a cold-hardy cultivar of North America's largest native edible fruit, selected and refined in the Pacific Northwest since 1950. This early-ripening variety produces green-yellow fruit with vibrant orange flesh ready to harvest in late September, thriving in hardiness zones 5 through 9. The tree grows best in full sun to partial shade with moderate water and slightly acidic soil, making it well-suited to maritime climates where other tropical-looking fruit trees struggle.
Partial Sun
Moderate
5-9
?in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Ford Amend ripens weeks earlier than standard pawpaw varieties, delivering its custard-like fruit by late September rather than waiting into October. Selected specifically for Pacific Northwest growing conditions, it combines cold hardiness through zone 5 with the classic pawpaw flavor that tastes like vanilla custard. The green-yellow skin and distinctive orange flesh make it easy to identify at peak ripeness, and unlike many pawpaws, you can eat it straight from the tree with a spoon.
Ford Amend fruit is eaten fresh, straight from the tree using a spoon to scoop the creamy flesh from the skin. The vanilla custard flavor and soft texture make it primarily a dessert fruit, best enjoyed at peak ripeness in late September when the fruit yields slightly to pressure and the interior has fully sweetened.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Harvest Ford Amend Pawpaw fruit in late September when the green-yellow skin yields slightly to gentle hand pressure and the fruit detaches easily from the branch. Peak ripeness is reached when the skin has deepened to a warmer yellow-green tone and the interior orange flesh is soft enough to scoop with a spoon. Ripe fruit should be consumed within a few days of harvesting for best flavor and texture.
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“Ford Amend Pawpaw emerged from deliberate cultivation in the Pacific Northwest, where it was selected and grown since 1950. This cultivar represents an important effort to adapt pawpaws, a fruit long celebrated in eastern North America, to cooler climates and maritime conditions where traditional southern varieties often fail. By choosing an early-ripening form suited to shorter growing seasons, breeders created a gateway for northern gardeners to experience this native American fruit.”