Carica papaya - variety unknown

wow thats one hell of a seed when you think about it and what a life cycle

Noseypotter:

The middle of the fruit contains many little pea-sized seeds.

Yes they look like they're ripening soon...yummy!

oops i thaught they were coaca nuts lol sorry

Panther, yes they look like good tasting papayas (pawpaws)!

Noseypotter, that's okay...I never showed the whole plant which I did
take some photos of...and never posted.

cool lol

Was looking at the leaves...is it related to Fatsia? the leaves really are similar...I'm a mango person myself...the only fruit I know of that allows you to eat and floss at the same time!! lol.

Lori:

I have a small mango tree. I love mangoes also. I have posted many photos of local mango trees.

Papaya is not related to Fatsia. Carica papaya is an herb not
a tree. Its trunk and leaf-petioles are hallow. It is very fast growing and very tropical and short-lived (15 years, although replaced usually after 5 or 6 years). I have posted several photos of my papaya plants...at one time I had a papaya forest in my back yard. I cut down my tallest plant just a couple of months ago...and have replanted 4 new plants.

I'm embarrassed by my ignorance! The papaya leaves are lovely, aren't they? and I didn't know that it was herbaceous. How do you propagate? by seeds..or by cuttings or roots? Do mangoes require a lot of water?
I don't know why but I have never developed a taste for papaya...I think learning about papain in highschool Home Ec. put me off...and the pharmaceutical aspect of it...but ...I could and would live on mangoes...they are the most delicious fruit I have ever eaten...also love kiwi...do you or have you grown them? I love the idea of a backyard forest! what a concept! LoL!

Lori:

Don't be embarrased! Yes, papaya leaves are very beautiful...very tropical-looking. And yes they are herbaceous...I think that's why the sow bugs love to eat the trunks.

I propagate my papayas from seed and have purchased some varieities from our local nurseries. They can be propogated by cuttings also, however, it's very difficult. I tried several times without success.

Mangoes, when holding fruit like quie a bit of water. They are very drought and heat tolerant. Mangoes are grown commcercially in San Diego County and out in the Coachella Valley (largest planting of mangoes in the U.S.) of California just north of the Salton Sea. These 'Keitt' Mangoes are considered some of the best tasting mangoes in the World. (They have been tasted by mango growers from all around the World). I agree with them...they are very delicious!

I can almost guess the reason why you don't like papaya...they are picked too green (for commercial sale) and can never completely ripen, even though the color may change. My papayas are picked when they are almost completely ripe -- yellow, orange, red depending on the variety. Then they are sweet like candy.

I've never grown Kiwi vines...however, I do like the fruit. Kiwi is commercially grown in the Central Valley of California. They need some chilling to produce good fruit.

you need more than one plant to grow fruit to i believe

That's interesting...do they require cross pollenation?
I'd like to do a road tour of California...focussed on agriculture...I don't think there are many crops that are not grown there...(cacao...as we discussed earlier isn't one of them...but it seems to be an exception). Let's see: apples, walnuts, grapes, plums, kiwi, mangoes, papaya, (what about pears, peaches, pecans, ?) and all kinds of veg! not to mention the citrus crop! What a great state! I have heard it called "Shake'n'Bake" lol...How's the air quality these days... has the catalytic converter made a difference? Everyone wants to live there... and who could blame them!?

yes i believe so lori

Noseypotter:

Do you need more than 1 plant for fruit production? That's a complex question. Most of the time one should plant at least 3 plants for good fruit production....however, with that being said. Some varieties like 'Solo' have about a 70% chance of producing fruit if only 1 plant is grown. I planted 7 plants over 5 years ago and all the plants produced fruit. There's 3 types of flowering plants: 1. female 2. males 3. hermaphrodites (bisexual). Only female (fertilized by a male plant) and hermaphrodites flowering plants can produce fruit...however, it gets more interesting, a male plant occasionally can produce fruit and it gets more complex, male plants can switch to become a female or hermaphrodites type plant and will then produce fruit. Yes, I know...very strange, that's Mother Nature.

stange to u i guess but perhaps wear strange to them.if you keep chickens and dont buy a male the top hen can take over most of his role lol ie crowing and being bossy.theres fish that spend the beginning of there life as male and as they get bigger ther all change female.nature just fills in all the gaps no more no less harsh as it is.thanx for that delon .

Noseypotter:

What you say is so correct. That's nature for you.

I'm going to be posting a photo of a male-producing papaya plant very soon. I met with a local San Diego GoY memeber today. This member lives just south of me almost at the Mexican border in South San Diego. His neighborhood had some interesting plants. I took a photo of his neighbor's male-fruiting papaya.

cool i wish i could grow them or infact had room lol

Noseypotter:

When grown in a pot they stay fairly small, however, it's pretty difficult to keep one through Winter without a greenhouse. They need warmth, humiditiy and the water must be carefully monitored or they will rot quickly when dormant.

ow its just a pipe dream thanx anyway delonix

Noseypotter:

It is definitely doable...I just wanted to inform you of some of the potential problems growing papaya in a cooler-temperate climate.

i got no room left lol thanx anyway

Noseypotter:

You're welcome.

I know what you mean. I almost purchased an Ixora coccinea 'Maui Red' shrub yesterday...however, I have to find room to put in the ground first. lol.

i used to think my garden looked far to big.now i think its far to small lol