Small-flowered pawpaw is a deciduous shrub found in SE USA (and most areas of NC) in dry pine or oak forests or thickets. It is a member of the pawpaw family (Annonaceae). The species epithet is a compound of the two Latin words for “small” and “flower.” Preference is for loose, moist to dry, well-drained soils in partial shade. As it matures and establishes, it will tolerate full sun. It does not tolerate dry, compacted soils. Plants have long taproots, so transplanting is difficult. Pawpaws need some babying to establish but are worth the effort. This plant works well as an understory tree in an open woodland setting and provides wildlife with food ... and you too, if you can get to them first! It generally grows only 6-8 feet tall. The young shoots and leaves are covered with a rusty down, later becoming smooth. The small brownish-purple, six-petaled flowers are borne singly in leaf axils before leaf emergence. The fruit of the small-flowered pawpaw is smaller than that of the pawpaw ( Asimina triloba ) but is edible off the tree or used in cooking. More than one genetic strain (pollinizer) is needed for fruit set. The leaves of pawpaw and small-flowered pawpaw are the only plant in NC that the beautiful Zebra Swallowtail ( Eurytides marcellus ) butterfly larvae can eat. It is, therefore, a critical food source for this butterfly. The small-flowered pawpaw is a good choice for butterfly gardens, native plant gardens, woodland shade gardens or rain gardens.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Open
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate; Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Fragrant
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Dark green 3-6 inch long leaves are obovate to oblanceolate, base narrowly to broadly cuneate, margins barely revolute, apex acute to acuminate. Young leaves covered with a rusty down maturing to glabrous except for hairs along the veins. Faintly fetid.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Purple/Lavender
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Bell
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
3/4 inch brownish-purple, fleshy, bell-shaped, six-petaled flowers are borne singly in leaf axils before leaf emergence. May have a mildly unpleasant odor. Blooms from April to May.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Green
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible; Fragrant
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
1- to 3-inch long cylindric yellow-green fruits mature to dark brown. Displays from July to September.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray
Bark detail
Smooth, gray-brown, with warty lenticels.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Orange-brown to red-brown stems mature to brown.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
SE USA
Distribution
NC south to Florida and west to Texas
Wildlife value
Its flowers are pollinated by flies and beetles. Its fleshy fruits are eaten by songbirds, wild turkeys, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, black bears, and foxes. Pawpaws are larval host plants for the Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus). The adult butterflies lay eggs in the north during two flights between April and August and in the south between March and December.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds