A field guide to America's largest native fruit

PawpawMap

We're putting pawpaws on the map!

Sunflower Pawpaw

Wild and Heirloom

Sunflower is a Wild and Heirloom variety, bred by Milo Gibson, late season, ripening the first week of October in Michigan.

Flavor
Sweet and pleasant; a widely grown classic
Size
Large, up to about 8 oz (225 g)
Seed
Moderate seed (~8% seed by weight)
Ripening
Late season, ripening the first week of October in Michigan
Productivity
Productive; noted as reliably self-fertile, unusual for pawpaw
Notes
Butter-colored flesh and yellowish skin; one of the few pawpaws reported to set fruit without a second tree, though a pollination partner still improves yield

What growers say

Sunflower pawpaw is a widely grown classic, valued as much for being reliably self-fertile, unusual among pawpaws, as for its sweet, pleasant taste. Growers say it holds its own with Shenandoah and improves on wild fruit, and several note it is the one variety reported to set fruit without a second tree, though a pollination partner still helps yield. The large, butter-fleshed fruit ripens late, into early October.

Sunflower to me held its own with Shenandoah and both were improvements on the wild fruit I have eaten.

Source

I think Sunflower by itself would be nice since it is the only reliable self-fertile one people say and still tasty.

Source

Drawn from grower discussions on growingfruit.org

Where to buy Sunflower pawpaw trees

PawpawMap found Sunflower pawpaw trees in stock at 2 of 5 nurseries as of Aug 9, 2026, out of 10 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.

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

Ort Family Farm

Bradford, NY

Pawpaw trees for spring pickup; 2026 varieties include Mango, Sunflower, and NC-1 (Canadian hardy), with many varieties selling out early; open by appointment.

Nursery Ships

Perry Permaculture

Perry, MI

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

Nursery Ships

Raintree Nursery

Morton, WA

Mail-order bare-root/potted; 18+ pawpaw varieties priced, currently sold out.

Nursery Ships

Restoring Eden

SeaTac, WA

Ships plants year-round; current winter retail hours.

Nursery

Sleepy Gap Pawpaws

Arden, NC

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

PricingGrafted trees $45

Nursery Ships

Stark Bro's

Louisiana, MO

13 pawpaw varieties listed, currently out of stock (seasonal).

PricingFree shipping on orders $99+

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

Wild and Heirloom

Overleese

Mid to late season, ripening the first week of October in Michigan

Rich, full pawpaw flavor; long valued as a benchmark variety

Wild and Heirloom

NC-1

Mid season, ripening in late summer to early fall

Sweet and full-flavored with an avocado-like consistency and little bitterness

Wild and Heirloom

Davis

Mid to late season, ripening the first week of October in Michigan

Good, mild pawpaw flavor

Wild and Heirloom

Taytwo

Late season, ripening around October 10 in Michigan

Mild, sweet pawpaw flavor

Wild and Heirloom

Pennsylvania Golden

Early season, ripening in late September

Classic, strong wild pawpaw flavor

Wild and Heirloom

Mango

Late season, September to October

Rich, candied-banana flavor with vivid orange-yellow pulp

Wild and Heirloom

Wells

Mid to late September

Reported sweet, but flavor and other traits are not authoritatively documented

Wild and Heirloom

Prolific

Late season, ripening the first week of October in Michigan

Sweet, yellow-fleshed fruit; sets heavily, often without hand pollination

Wild and Heirloom

Taylor

Late season, ripening the first week of October in Michigan

Mild pawpaw flavor; yellow flesh with green skin

Wild and Heirloom

Uncle Tom

Mid season, ripening mid-September in Indiana

Historic selection valued more for its place in pawpaw history than for documented flavor

Wild and Heirloom

Ketter

Early season

Mild but very rich flavor, neither insipid nor cloying; medium-yellow flesh

Wild and Heirloom

Dr. Potter

Late season

Mild flavor; rich yellow flesh

Wild and Heirloom

Buckman

Late to very late season

Mild flavor with white flesh

Wild and Heirloom

Wilson

Mid season, ripening in September in Kentucky

Sweet, banana-pear flavor with a custard texture

Wild and Heirloom

Halvin

Early season, ripening late August in Kentucky

Very sweet and smooth with no aftertaste and a hint of pineapple

Wild and Heirloom

IXL

Late season

Wild and Heirloom

Rebecca's Gold

Mid to late season, ripening September to October

Very sweet and richly flavored

Wild and Heirloom

Lynn's Favorite

Late season, ripening the second week of October in Michigan

Wild and Heirloom

Mary Foos Johnson

Late season, ripening the first week of October in Michigan

Wild and Heirloom

Sweet Alice

Late season, ripening in early October

Wild and Heirloom

Horn's White

Late season

Unusually white, creamy, very sweet flesh with coconut and cherimoya notes

Last updated