grow Papaya in uk.

[parkeey]

can u grow Papaya in the uk? anyone tried do they even fruit at all........

[stephenprudence]

I tried to grow one from seedling and it died as a seedling. One of the easiest plant to germinate though. Not sure about growing it in the UK.

I'm sure mountain papaya has survive a UK winter but whether that's a true papaya I don't know.

[bobbyd44]

this was given to me as a seedling in april, the pic shows it just after digging out last november so good gowth its in m dining room it has grown but only with small leaves, but is ready to go out in the spring..sure its mountain variation..will add the pic after resizing...

[parkeey]

kool i wanna see it !

[AndyC]

Carica papaya seed is notorious in that it germinates very easily but the seedings are very prone to sudden death.
The mountain papaya is a little easier to keep alive. Seed is sold as Carica candamarensis by Chiltern Seeds. Although the plants are hardier than C.papaya they won't survive a winter outside, at least not one like we are having this year.
This was it last autumn before the frosts

This plant produced male flowers. I had a smaller female which I managed to tickle into starting to produce fruit but again the frost clobbered it before they could mature.
One year old plants from seed are easy to overwinter in a frost free greenhouse so they are worth the effort for foliage alone before the get too large to bring inside.

[bobbyd44]

done i think!!

[bobbyd44]

andy am sure you gave me this at akamba!!!

[parkeey]

kool i imagine its very hard to get them to fruit then ... thks

duno how u order on akamba site?? no add button

[Nigel Fear]

Carica papaya seed is notorious in that it germinates very easily but the seedings are very prone to sudden death.
The mountain papaya is a little easier to keep alive. Seed is sold as Carica candamarensis by Chiltern Seeds. Although the plants are hardier than C.papaya they won't survive a winter outside, at least not one like we are having this year.
This was it last autumn before the frosts.

Andy, do they shed their leaves in a cool greenhouse over winter?
I'm thinking it may be easier to look after that way.

[bobbyd44]

mine totally defoliated when i brought it inside, and since has probably grown about 6inchs of trunk but with only tiny leaves.

[AndyC]

Andy, do they shed their leaves in a cool greenhouse over winter?
I'm thinking it may be easier to look after that way.

Nigel, it's a 'yes' and a 'no' answer. If they are kept warm enough and in good light, i.e. above 10C then they will keep all their leaves. If not then they do tend to loose all but the ones on the growing tip.

[Nigel Fear]

Thanks Bob, and Andy, I hope you both have luck with your Papaya's this year, looks to be a great foliage plant.

[metalhammer]

I'm sure some of the major seedhouses have been offering plants of a North American papaya that was used by North American native peoples in the past.I'll check through my catalogues & get back about it.





metalhammer.

[Nick]

The Papaya is a plant I've always admired, I love it's leafs and it's shape, the fruit is lovely put in a blender with ice and banana, you end up with a lovely refreshing drink.
But I have not seen any here for sale as plants just as seeds,
Andy that is or was a lovely specimen you had growing there, was that the baby you had out back in a pot the last time we all came around your garden after the Oxford B Garden meet some time ago, if so it's really grown well for you in such a short time as well, it looks to be the same size as your T-Rex out back but with not as big leafs.
Thanks for putting your photo on for us all to enjoy and drawl over

[Adrian]

They are fast from seed so well worth having a go.
I used to grow them from seed purely for bedders and not worry about getting them through.
I have one of the mountain Paw Paws that has wintered in my conservatory but I find that every time I move it it defoliates, not that that matters much as they have interesting trunks and they look good in allowed to form a curve to the trunk (planting on an angle and allowing the light to straighten it up )