Papayas (Carica papaya) Red Caribbean & Maradol

Mine sort of look like those but between 2 and 3' tall.

I have them where the sun beats down most of the day- it gets hot to me seemingly. Yet,they take their time. Might be our cool nights even in summer.

If they're Maradol papayas, they grow much slower. Solo types grow extremely fast...usually about 5 times faster than Maradol. The Maradol lives longer and produces fruit over a longer period of time, though.

These are 8' tall. My tallest one (which is 18' tall) is dying. I'm not sure if it's age (it's over 6 years old) or too little water. All the big papayas ripened all at once and I couldn't pick them...didn't have a tall enough latter. I think I may just cut it down. I have several seedling growing. I just planted them about a month ago from very small seedlings, I think they're about two feet tall now. I hope they grow another foot before the forecasted heavy rains come this winter.

Mine are the Maridols. I never heard that. If anything I was under the impression that Maridol was fastest. Maybe because they are supposed to be more cold tolerant.
Thanks Andy.

Maradol papayas are definitely much slower than any other papaya variety I've grown. I've been growing papayas for many years...since, I moved to San Diego in 2000.

I think you're correct that Maradol and Thai Dwarf are the coolest tolerant papayas (the exceptions are: the Mountain, Oakleaf and Babaco papayas which grow very well up there).