Nursery
Mail-order pawpaw specialist; KSU-licensed Benson and Chappell; order in winter for spring shipping.
Summer Delight Pawpaw
England's Orchard Introductions
Summer Delight is a England's Orchard Introductions variety, bred by Woody Walker, very early season, ripening late July into early August, the first to ripen in the breeder's Kentucky orchard.
- Flavor
- Delicious, smooth-textured flesh with few seeds and a mild aftertaste
- Size
- Medium-large, 8-12 oz (225-340 g)
- Seed
- Fleshy
- Ripening
- Very early season, ripening late July into early August, the first to ripen in the breeder's Kentucky orchard
- Productivity
- Not precocious, taking four to five years to come into production, but worth the wait
- Notes
- Noted for being early-ripening, which suits the northern cusp of the growing range. Thick, yellow-tinted skin that ships and stores well.
What growers say
Summer Delight pawpaw is one of the earliest varieties to ripen, finishing in the last week of July into early August, which suits the northern cusp of the growing range. The smooth-textured flesh has few seeds and a mild aftertaste, and one grower rated it among the best pawpaws they have tasted. The trade-off growers note is patience, as the tree takes four to five years to come into production.
I tasted Summer Delight this past year and it was amongst the best pawpaws I have tasted.
Where to buy Summer Delight pawpaw trees
PawpawMap found no Summer Delight pawpaw trees in stock at all 3 nurseries it confirmed as of Oct 7, 2026. 3 nurseries ship the variety; ask to be told when stock returns.
- Beautiful Beginnings NurserySold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Fruitwood NurserySold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Perry PermacultureSold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
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
Grafted pawpaw trees are local pickup only. Also sells pawpaw seeds and scionwood; contact the nursery for what they will mail.
Online
Fruitwood Nursery
ShipsFamily 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
Grafted pawpaw trees by reservation, scions, breeding and education.
Nursery
Perry Permaculture
Ships In stockGrafted pawpaw trees ship in fall (~October); one of two MI Peterson-pawpaw licensees.
Nursery
Grafted Peterson/KSU trees; sells out fast each season.
PricingGrafted trees $45
Nursery
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
England's Orchard Introductions
Kentucky Champion
Sweet with a subtle tartness likened to pineapple or raspberry; firm, golden-orange flesh with a melon note and a pleasant lingering aftertaste
England's Orchard Introductions
Kentucky Legend
Very good, similar to Sunflower, with a firm texture
England's Orchard Introductions
Tropical Treat
Tastes like mango with a hint of pineapple; widely regarded as one of the best-tasting pawpaws on the market
England's Orchard Introductions
Marshmallow
Tropical melon-like flavor with a trace of banana; the sweetest of the three freestones
England's Orchard Introductions
Honeydew
Tropical melon-like flavor that can taste similar to a honeydew melon, with a trace of banana
England's Orchard Introductions
Cantaloupe
Tropical melon-like flavor that tastes as the name suggests, with a trace of banana
England's Orchard Introductions
Mango x Wabash
Firm flesh with a strong yellow color break and a color similar to Wabash
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