Habitat:
Hardy from zone 5 to 8, the pawpaw prefers deep, moist, fertile, slightly
acid soil and forms thickets in river valleys and bottomlands. It can tolerate
full sun or semi-shade conditions.
Diseases: No serious pests or diseases are associated with this species, but serveral leaf spots, twig and branch cankers, as well as fruit and wood rots have been reported from Indiana and Michigan.
Distribution: The pawpaw occurs primarily in the eastern US, from Florida and New York, west to Nebraska and Texas. This tree is mentioned in the chronicles of De Soto's 1541 expedition into the Mississippi Valley. In Iowa it is found in scattered areas in the Mississippi Valley, and in a few locations in the eastern and southwestern counties.
