Rebecca's Gold Pawpaw is a late-ripening cultivar selected from University of California Davis seed stock in 1974 by J. M. Riley, prized for exceptionally large fruit with intensely sweet, rich flavor. The smooth skin peels easily to reveal succulent flesh that's equally rewarding fresh from the tree or preserved through canning. Hardy across zones 5 to 9 and reaching around 10 feet in cooler climates, this variety thrives in full sun to partial shade and produces blooms from late summer into fall.
Partial Sun
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5-9
?in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Large, remarkably sweet fruit with firm, easy-to-peel skin and tender, succulent flesh sets Rebecca's Gold apart in the pawpaw world. Selected directly from UC Davis germplasm, this cultivar represents decades of careful breeding for superior flavor and eating quality. The late-season ripening window stretches across September, October, and November, extending your pawpaw harvest deep into autumn when fresh fruit options dwindle.
Rebecca's Gold shines equally in fresh eating and preservation. The firm flesh and sweet flavor make it excellent for canning, where the fruit retains its character through processing, and equally rewarding eaten fresh from your hand, spoon straight from the skin, or incorporated into desserts and beverages that showcase its rich sweetness.
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Harvest Rebecca's Gold from September through November as the fruit reaches full maturity. Pick fruit when skin color deepens and the fruit yields slightly to gentle pressure, indicating the flesh has softened to optimal ripeness. The easy-to-peel skin characteristics make peeling a reliable indicator of readiness; fruit that peels effortlessly is at peak eating quality.
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“Rebecca's Gold emerged from UC Davis seed stock in 1974 through the careful selection work of J. M. Riley, a breeder who recognized exceptional qualities in this particular pawpaw line and isolated it for cultivation. Rather than a chance seedling saved by a family for generations, this variety represents the deliberate horticultural effort to improve pawpaw's commercial and home-garden potential during a period when American fruit breeders were systematically documenting and enhancing native species.”