Week of December 12, 2021

An addition to the Florida Garden this year has been two PAPAYA trees. As a volunteer at the Wilmot Botanical Garden on the University of Florida campus, I attend their plant sales. At the sale last May, I was intrigued by papaya seedlings offered in 3 inch pots. The tender plants were about 6 inches tall, with two cultivars for sale. I bought one of each and planted them in the bed next to the house, with strong sun exposure to the south and west. This bed has been difficult to sustain plantings, so I gave the papaya trees a try. I read that papayas originated in Central America and can provide fruit in 7-11 months. They also require frequent fertilization and water. Cages were placed around the seedlings to protect them from hungry deer. After a month or so, we left for the summer. Upon returning in September, we were greeted by two full-sized trees, with 4-5 inch diameter trunks, large green leaves, and growth higher than 10 feet, over the eaves of the first floor roof! They soon produced fragrant yellow blossoms off the trunks, attracting pollinators. The flowers then transformed into long, fat green fruit also close to the trunk. They are not yet ready to harvest, perhaps in a month or so. They are especially cold sensitive, so they may not survive the North Florida winter. The papaya fruit will hopefully join our Florida fruit salad soon. In any case, the growth from 6 inches to 11 feet in seven months is a truly remarkable addition to our Florida Garden.