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Rappahannock Pawpaw

Peterson Pawpaws

Rappahannock is a Peterson Pawpaws variety, bred by Neal Peterson, early to mid season, ripening September into October.

Flavor
Sweet and refreshing with a simple, not-too-strong character
Size
Large
Seed
Very fleshy (~3-6% seed by weight)
Ripening
Early to mid season, ripening September into October
Productivity
Productive
Notes
Brighter-yellow flesh; the tree holds its leaves unusually horizontal. Firm, creamy-yellow flesh.

What growers say

Rappahannock pawpaw draws praise for a clean, refreshing flavor with no strong aftertaste; one grower ranks it among the best they have tasted and singles out its great texture. The taste is sweet and simple rather than intense, with firm creamy-yellow flesh. Growers also note its distinctive upright growth habit, and it ripens early to mid-season from September into October.

I grow Rappahannock, and it's one of my favorites of the ones I've tasted. No strong aftertaste and great texture too.

Source

It has a different growth habit than most pawpaws, with a lot of upright growth throughout the tree.

Source

Drawn from grower discussions on growingfruit.org

Where to buy Rappahannock pawpaw trees

PawpawMap found Rappahannock pawpaw trees in stock at 1 of 4 nurseries as of Aug 9, 2026, out of 7 that ship it.

Each line shows the date PawpawMap last confirmed that seller's stock. Spot a listing that is wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.

Nursery Ships

Edible Landscaping

Afton, VA

Grafted named varieties (sold out) plus Select seedling in stock; orders ship in ~2 weeks.

Nursery Ships

England's Orchard and Nursery

McKee, KY

Grafted pawpaw trees are local pickup only; pawpaw seeds and scionwood available by mail.

Online Ships

Fruitwood Nursery

Orleans, CA

Family permaculture nursery on the Klamath River; mail-orders roughly 39 named pawpaw scionwood cultivars (Mango, Davis, Lehmans Choice, Potomac, Susquehanna and more) with live stock counts.

Nursery Ships

One Green World

Portland, OR

Ships seeds and plants to all 50 states; pawpaw varieties currently on email-when-available pre-order.

Nursery Ships

Perry Permaculture

Perry, MI

Grafted pawpaw trees ship in fall (~October); one of two MI Peterson-pawpaw licensees.

Nursery

Sleepy Gap Pawpaws

Arden, NC

Grafted Peterson/KSU trees; sells out fast each season.

PricingGrafted trees $45

Nursery Ships

West Farm Nursery

Branchburg, NJ

Grafted Peterson and KSU pawpaw cultivars, pickup from mid-June; some trees sold or shipped via eBay; hosts NOFA-NJ workshops.

Pricing$110 to $160

Related cultivars

Peterson Pawpaws

Shenandoah

Mid season, ripening in September

Mild, sweet and mellow with a custardy texture; an easy introduction to pawpaw for new tasters

Peterson Pawpaws

Susquehanna

Late season

Rich and very sweet with a firm, almost buttery texture and a strong pawpaw character

Peterson Pawpaws

Wabash

Mid season, ripening in late summer to early fall

Sweet with excellent, complex flavor

Peterson Pawpaws

Allegheny

Early to mid season, ripening in late summer, earlier than most pawpaws

Sweet, creamy banana-custard flavor with a hint of citrus

Peterson Pawpaws

Potomac

Mid to late season, ripening in late summer to early fall

Sweet and smooth with a rich taste

Peterson Pawpaws

Tallahatchie

Mid to late season, ripening mid to late September in Maryland

Sweet with a well-balanced, complex flavor, a pleasant aroma and floral notes

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