Carica Papaya

Plant Characteristics

Origin:	✈	?

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	?"?" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water:	◍	?"?" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.

Scientific Names

Read about Carica Papaya in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Carica Papaya, Linn. (Papaya Carica, Gaertn.). Papaya. Pawpaw. The commonest species in cult., sometimes growing to a height of 20 ft., with large palmately 7-lobed lvs., sometimes 2 ft. across, and fr. shaped like a roughly angled melon up to 12 in. long and half as thick, hanging, especially from the lower axils of the pistillate plant. B.M. 2898-9.—From the frs., which vary in size up to 15 lbs. and in number to the tree from 20-50, is extracted the papaya juice, which furnishes the papain of commerce. This is obtained by slashing the fr., and collecting the milky juice in porcelain-lined receptacles, where it is allowed to evaporate. When evaporated to a granular condition, it is ready for the market and brings from $4-$6 a lb. in the crude state. The papaya has of recent years become one of the commonest table frs. of the tropics. The flesh, which is usually of a salmon-pink or yellow color, is excellent when one becomes accustomed to its peculiar flavor, and resembles somewhat a most luscious muskmelon. From its large content of papain, it may be eaten without injury in considerable quantities and assists in the digestion of other foods. As the tree grows with great rapidity in tropical climates, it may be treated as an annual, the seeds being sown early in protected beds, well cared for and transplanted to their permanent places when well established. They will then bear fr. late in the succeeding autumn. The method of graftage described on p. 663 is preferable, however. The frs. have a considerable cavity, which, in the smaller rounded frs.. is well filled with the small brownish or blackish seeds. The firm skin, the firmness of which may be increased by selection, will permit of shipping to a distance. The plant is sometimes polygamous, and from such plants in Hawaii there have been bred types which appear to have great promise as a shipping fr. The green frs. are frequently used as vegetables, and the lvs., if cooked with tough meat, are said to make it tender, due to the digestive principle. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Cultivation

Do you have cultivation info on this plant? Edit this section!

Propagation

Do you have propagation info on this plant? Edit this section!

Pests and diseases

Do you have pest and disease info on this plant? Edit this section!

Gallery

If you have a photo of this plant, please upload it! Plus, there may be other photos available for you to add.

• 

  photo 1

• 

  photo 2

• 

  photo 3

References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Carica Papaya. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Carica Papaya QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)