PAW-PAW Predicament

I am growing Paw Paw trees from seed. At least 5 of them sprouted and now the tallest one is about 1 foot tall. Last summer I carefully (with a trowel, damp earth and lots of patience.....!!!) uprooted most of them and transplanted them becuz they had been growing too close to one another. They all transplanted very well EXCEPT for one, whose roots I accidentally severed when I uprooted it

So I took the one with the severed roots and placed it in a container of water which I change every other day -- it's kept in the sunlight (and now in the winter, under a plant light) and it is still alive... I carefully rinse this little tree when I change the water, and there is no mold or any slime on it, and the little tree is pliable, so it IS alive -- I thought that after a while, new roots would regenerate, but after 6 months, there are still no roots at all on it.

What can I do to encourage the roots to grow back????

I tried to research info for ya ... all i found was this:
if one third of the root system was lost or damaged, trim off about one third of the top growth so the remaining roots will be able to support the tree.

This was found here: http://www.pawpaw.kysu.edu/FAQ.htm#q13

Hope it helps!!

Edited to say: There is an email listed there where you can ask questions for further information, maybe try that??

This message was edited Feb 18, 2009 11:15 AM

Have you tried rooting hormone? Don't know if it would work, but maybe worth a try.

Some things won't root well in water and ought to be rooted in potting mix, vermiculite, or some other "solid" medium instead--I've never grown paw paws so I have no idea if that's the case here but it's something to consider.

We had 2 paw paw trees here, they were doing well until my dear other half mowed over them last year. I have to see if they spring back from that. We ordered them off a website and i think they were 2 yrs old when shipped so i dont know if they will make it or not. I think we got them off of flying pig nursery but cant remember! Which i just found out is no longer open! :(

Keep me updated as to how it is doing and all, and i will let ya know if mine spring back from the haircut ...lol



This message was edited Feb 18, 2009 9:08 PM

Conversing with the folks at Kentucky State University's pawpaw research program is a great idea. They are topnotch, and are doing the "cutting edge" work on propagation (I really couldn't resist that one...).

Meanwhile, put that poor plant in some soil! It probably will never do anything in water. Pawpaws (Asimina triloba for the uninitiated) are natural colonizers, i.e., they produce new shoots from roots surrounding the parent stem and gradually make a crowd of stems, especially with some root disturbance.

I'd think your youngster will do much better with some soil around it in which to produce new roots. If it is too late (!), well, you still have the others AND the experience in how to germinate them from seed.

It is good that you have multiple plants grown out from seed. One thing pawpaws like in order to produce good fruit crops - multiple different plants so that they can cross-pollinate. They do not "self" well, and individuals growing by themselves often set little or no fruit at all.

Good luck with yours. That is a great little native plant that not enough people try to grow.

Wow -- thanks for all those great answers folks!!

Wow -- thanks for all those great answers folks!!

I will try the rooting hormone and stick that Poor Lonesome Paw Paw into a good potting mixture.

Viburnum, I will contact the Paw Paw Research program.

And Hyer1972-- if Pigs Can Fly, then your Paw Paws will rise again!!!

Wow -- A whole web page devoted to paw paws!! I really hope my Paw Paws will grow up and give me fruit!!!! (even tho they are on my balcony)

This message was edited Feb 23, 2009 10:59 AM

If there was no trunk left, it's doubtful that something will grow back, however I would encourage you to keep trying.
Paw Paws are extremely suceptible to root rot, and would not advise using water as a source of reviving it.
They are also extremely sensitive as your finding out, at having their roots messed with in any way. It is curious though that I've noticed that broken roots do seem to remain firm for quite some time. I've not had any return to growth unless there was part of a trunk left, and then they are very difficult to re-grow, the older, the easier. I've chronicled some of my experiences in a blog if it helps at all. Keep in mind, my trees are all self reproducing ie no male/female in this type which is mainly my experience.
Good luck! Rj
http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/rjuddharrison/1993/