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Pawpaw Patch at New Quarter ParkCalled Custard Apples or Wild Bananas, the Wild Food Can Be Grown
Pawpaws, enjoyed by mammals, Indians, early settlers, and slaves, are abundant in the park environment. Try a recipe for the wild food or propagate an edible landscape.
Because New Quarter Park has remained relatively untouched by human development, it is rich in flora and fauna that have disappeared from much of the Tidewater Virginia area where thousands of acres a year are lost to development in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Native plants like the American Beauty Berry, Golden Ragwort, Hearts-a-Busting, Mountain Laurel, and Pink Lady Slippers join the Pawpaw in making the park a colorful Mecca for native plant enthusiasts. Way Down Yonder in the Pawpaw PatchWild animals like opossum, raccoon, foxes and squirrels eat the fruits of the Pawpaw tree. Nibbled fruits are often discovered along the park's trails, especially on Hiking Loops 8 and 9 on the southeast facing slope of the park. Some Native American tribes cultivated the Pawpaw and are responsible for its widespread range throughout the eastern United States today. Pawpaws were also invaluable to the early settlers like those that emigrated from England to Virginia beginning in 1607. Later, westward-moving pioneers were thankful for the abundance of the nutritious fruit to round out their meals of wild game. Early African people who arrived in America identified wild plants to add to their meager diet and to use as medicine. The wilderness foods provided them with a more healthy diet than they were provided by slaveholders. Interestingly, "pawpaw" is a term used in West Africa to refer to the papaya. Slaves from that region lived at New Quarter during the period that Robert "King" Carter and his Burwell grandson and great-grandson lived at Carter's Grove and owned New Quarter. Eating and Cooking with PawpawPawpaws are rich in most vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. The fruits are best eaten fresh when fully ripe. The fruit's texture resembles banana and has a fruit smoothie flavor that is a blend of banana, mango, and pineapple. Pawpaws can be eaten fresh or made into a dessert. Researchers at the Kentucky State University have suggested that Pawpaws might be developed as processed foods like fruit drinks, baby food, or ice creams. Pawpaws puree easily and freeze nicely; they may be substituted for banana in most recipes. Pawpaw Custard is made by removing the pulp from the skin and detaching the seeds (skin and seeds should not be eaten) and mashing the pulp. Add milk, sugar, egg, and spice. Pour the batter into a custard cup and cook at medium heat until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Grow Your Own Pawpaw PatchPawpaws are easy to grow from their large, black, kidney bean-like seeds and plants prefer a humid hardwood forest or swampy environment with rich, fertile, slightly acidic soil. New Quarter Park's humid Chesapeake environment with mature forests and rich bottomlands seem to suit Pawpaws just fine! As an understory plant, Pawpaw trees grows to be 10 to 30 feet tall. The trunk is straight and leaves are large and droopy. New trees sprout from underground runners or suckers. That's why Pawpaws grow as a patch. At least two Pawpaw trees are needed to produce fruit. Pawpaws lend a tropical look and provide your yard with an edible landscape feature. Pawpaw ScienceThe Pawpaw plant is the only temperate region member of the tropical Annonaceae family. Beautiful yet inconspicuous eggplant-colored flowers emerge before leaves in mid spring and require cross pollination for fruit production. Pawpaw twigs are a source of annonaceous acetogenins which are being used in the development of anti-cancer drugs and botanical pesticides. Pawpaw trees are the larval host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus), which feed exclusively on the leaves. Let's Sing!"The Pawpaw Patch," like many traditional songs, is of unclear origin but has found a secure place in the lexicon of children's music. Where, oh where is pretty little Susie? Where, oh where is pretty little Susie? Where, oh where is pretty little Susie? Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch. Chorus: Pickin' up paw-paws, puttin' 'em in her pockets, Pickin' up paw-paws, puttin' 'em in her pockets, Pickin' up paw-paws, puttin' 'em in her pockets, Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch. Come on, boys let's go find her, Come on, boys, let's go find her, Come on, boys, let's go find her, Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.
The copyright of the article Pawpaw Patch at New Quarter Park in Botany is owned by Sara E. Lewis. Permission to republish Pawpaw Patch at New Quarter Park in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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