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{{SPlantbox
|familia=Caricaceae
|genus=Carica
|species=papaya
|common_name=Papaya, tree melon, papaw
|habit=tree
|Min ht box=15
|Min ht metric=ft
|Max ht box=30
|Max ht metric=ft
|origin=Mexico, C America
|lifespan=perennial
|exposure=sun
|water=moist, moderate
|features=evergreen, edible, fruit, foliage
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=9
|max_zone=11.5
|sunset_zones=21, 23-27, greenhouse
|image=Koeh-029.jpg
|image_width=200
|image_caption=Papaya tree and fruit, from Koehler's ''Medicinal-Plants'' (1887)
}}
'''Growth Habit''': The papaya is a short-lived, fast-growing, woody, large herb to 10 or 12 feet in height. It generally branches only when injured. All parts contain latex. The hollow green or deep purple trunk is straight and cylindrical with prominent leaf scars. Its diameter may be from 2 or 3 inches to over a foot at the base.
'''Foliage''': The leaves emerge directly from the upper part of the stem in a spiral on nearly horizontal petioles 1 to 3-1/2 feet long. The blade, deeply divided into 5 to 9 main segments, varies from 1 to 2 feet in width, and has prominent yellowish ribs and veins. The life of a leaf is 4 to 6 months.
'''Flowers''': The five-petalled flowers are fleshy, waxy and slightly fragrant. Some plants bear only short-stalked female flowers, or bisexual (perfect) flowers also on short stalks, while others may bear only male flowers, clustered on panicles 5 or 6 feet long. Some plants may have both male and female flowers. Others at certain seasons produce short-stalked male flowers, at other times perfect flowers. This change of sex may occur temporarily during high temperatures in midsummer. Male or bisexual plants may change completely to female plants after being beheaded. Certain varieties have a propensity for producing certain types of flowers. For example, the Solo variety has flowers of both sexes 66% of the time, so two out of three plants will produce fruit, even if planted singly. How pollination takes place in papayas is not known with certainty. Wind is probably the main agent, as the pollen is light and abundant, but thrips and moths may assist. Hand pollination is sometimes necessary to get a proper fruit set.
[[Image:Papaya_for_sale.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Ripe papaya kept for sale at a local market in [[Bangalore]], [[India]]]]
'''Fruit''': There are two types of papayas, Hawaiian and Mexican. The Hawaiian varieties are the papayas commonly found in supermarkets. These pear-shaped fruit generally weigh about 1 pound and have yellow skin when ripe. The flesh is bright orange or pinkish, depending on variety, with small black seeds clustered in the center. Hawaiian papayas are easier to harvest because the plants seldom grow taller than 8 feet. Mexican papayas are much larger the the Hawaiian types and may weigh up to 10 pounds and be more than 15 inches long. The flesh may be yellow, orange or pink. The flavor is less intense than that the Hawaiian papaya but still is delicious and extremely enjoyable. They are slightly easier to grow than Hawaiian papayas. A properly ripened papaya is juicy, sweetish and somewhat like a cantaloupe in flavor, although musky in some types.
Caution should be taken when harvesting, as papaya is known to release a latex fluid when not quite ripe, which can cause irritation and provoke allergic reaction in some people. The papaya fruit and leaves also contains [[carpaine]], an [[anthelmintic]] [[alkaloid]] which could be dangerous in high doses. Unripe papaya has contraceptive/abortive effects in large amounts.
{{Inc|
{{Inc|
Papaya (Fig. 2755). The papaya (Carica Papaya) is a well-known edible fruit which has spread from its original home in America throughout the tropical world, and is a favorite fruit in many regions. In Hawaii it is said to rank next to the banana in popularity ; in nearly all parts of tropical America it is one of the commonest fruits, while early in the seventeenth century it became known in the Orient and is now grown in India, Ceylon, the Malay Archipelago, and many other regions, as well as in tropical Africa and Australia. The name papaya is considered a corruption of the Carib ababai, which in one form or another has been carried around the world; papaia, papeya and papia are some of the various adaptations which are in use. The English name papaw (or pawpaw) is probably derived from the same source, and is widely used ; in the United States it has the disadvantage of confusing this fruit with Asimina triloba, which is well known in the central and southeastern states under the same name. The Portuguese name, current in Brazil, is mamao (the tree mamoeiro), a word probably referring to the mammiform apex of the fruit; in the French colonies it is called papaye (the plant papayer) ; in German colonies papaja and papajabaum, or melonenbaum. Several other names are used in tropical America, notably fruta de bomba in Cuba, lechosa in Porto Rico, melon zapote in parts of Mexico, and tree melon in English-speaking countries.
Papaya (Fig. 2755). The papaya (Carica Papaya) is a well-known edible fruit which has spread from its original home in America throughout the tropical world, and is a favorite fruit in many regions. In Hawaii it is said to rank next to the banana in popularity ; in nearly all parts of tropical America it is one of the commonest fruits, while early in the seventeenth century it became known in the Orient and is now grown in India, Ceylon, the Malay Archipelago, and many other regions, as well as in tropical Africa and Australia. The name papaya is considered a corruption of the Carib ababai, which in one form or another has been carried around the world; papaia, papeya and papia are some of the various adaptations which are in use. The English name papaw (or pawpaw) is probably derived from the same source, and is widely used ; in the United States it has the disadvantage of confusing this fruit with Asimina triloba, which is well known in the central and southeastern states under the same name. The Portuguese name, current in Brazil, is mamao (the tree mamoeiro), a word probably referring to the mammiform apex of the fruit; in the French colonies it is called papaye (the plant papayer) ; in German colonies papaja and papajabaum, or melonenbaum. Several other names are used in tropical America, notably fruta de bomba in Cuba, lechosa in Porto Rico, melon zapote in parts of Mexico, and tree melon in English-speaking countries.
Two pests have become sufficiently troublesome in south Florida to require attention, one of which, the papaya fruit-fly (Toxotrypana curvicauda), threatened at one time to become serious (Cf. Journ. Agr. Research, ii. 447-453, Knab & Yothers). This insect occurs in several parts of tropical America; the female inserts her eggs into the immature papaya by means of a long ovipositor, and the larvae first feed in the central seed-mass, but later work into the flesh of the fruit, frequently rendering it unfit for human consumption. The only means of control which have been suggested are the destruction of wild plants and infested fruits, and the production of varieties of the papaya with very thick flesh, so that the female will be unable to reach the seed cavity with her ovipositor;—the young larvae are unable to live in the flesh. A fungous disease, known as papaya leaf-spot (Pucciniopsis caricae) frequently attacks the foliage during the winter season, forming small black masses on the under surfaces of the leaves. It is not very destructive, and easily controlled by spraying with bordeaux mixture.
Two pests have become sufficiently troublesome in south Florida to require attention, one of which, the papaya fruit-fly (Toxotrypana curvicauda), threatened at one time to become serious (Cf. Journ. Agr. Research, ii. 447-453, Knab & Yothers). This insect occurs in several parts of tropical America; the female inserts her eggs into the immature papaya by means of a long ovipositor, and the larvae first feed in the central seed-mass, but later work into the flesh of the fruit, frequently rendering it unfit for human consumption. The only means of control which have been suggested are the destruction of wild plants and infested fruits, and the production of varieties of the papaya with very thick flesh, so that the female will be unable to reach the seed cavity with her ovipositor;—the young larvae are unable to live in the flesh. A fungous disease, known as papaya leaf-spot (Pucciniopsis caricae) frequently attacks the foliage during the winter season, forming small black masses on the under surfaces of the leaves. It is not very destructive, and easily controlled by spraying with bordeaux mixture.
}}
}}
==Cultivation==
==Cultivation==