The Indiana Jones of Pawpaws: Neal Peterson’s Remarkable Search

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Pawpaw season is nearly here—and this week we’re revisiting a conversation with one of the people responsible for bringing this remarkable fruit back into the spotlight.

Neal Peterson is sometimes called the Indiana Jones of pawpaws. After tasting his first pawpaw, he became fascinated by a fruit that had once attracted considerable attention from plant breeders but had largely fallen into obscurity.

Peterson dug through old horticultural records and tracked down surviving trees from early breeding programs. Those discoveries became the foundation of his own pawpaw breeding work.

In this episode, Emma and Steven talk with Neal about:

• His first taste of pawpaw—and why it changed the direction of his life 
• His search for nearly forgotten pawpaw varieties 
• How pawpaws grow in the wild 
• Why pawpaws fruit better in sun than in deep shade 
• Pollination and the need for two genetically distinct trees 
• Growing two pawpaw trees in a small garden 
• Choosing early-ripening varieties for colder climates 
• Why wild pawpaws can be very seedy 
• How Peterson bred pawpaws with more flesh and fewer seeds 
• Growing pawpaws from seed 
• Caring for young pawpaw trees 
• Managing suckers from grafted trees 

Pawpaws are understorey trees in the wild, but that doesn’t mean shade is the best place for fruit production. Neal explains why trees growing in brighter locations are usually more productive.

He also shares a wonderfully practical space-saving suggestion: if your garden is small, plant two genetically different pawpaw trees only a couple of feet apart.

A 2026 update

Neal no longer sells pawpaw trees or fruit directly. He continues his breeding work, and the Peterson Pawpaws website provides growing information and lists nurseries offering his varieties.