Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) NYOMI'S DELICIOUS

Pawpaw 'Nyomi's Delicious' (syn. Naomi's Delicious)

'Nyomi's Delicious' is a premium, early pawpaw variety that has earned a reputation as one of the best choices for modern orchards and home gardens. It is celebrated for its "melting" texture, intense sweetness, and absence of any bitterness.

Pawpaw 'Nyomi's Delicious'

Thanks to its fast growth, high and stable yield, and ability to ripen even in cooler regions, it represents an ideal variety for growers looking for top quality without compromise.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Early ripening (ideal for cooler regions with short summers).
• Large fruits (up to 450 g) with a low seed count.
• Top-quality, silky flesh texture (without grit and fibers).
• Intensely sweet taste without bitterness and musky aftertaste.
• High and stable yield (forms fruit clusters).
• Fast and vigorous growth of the tree.
• Visual maturity indicator (color change of the skin facilitates harvesting).

Origin and Breeding

• Origin: USA (Berea, Kentucky). It is a classic wild selection.
• Discoverer: The variety was discovered as a mature, bearing tree in the garden of a resident named Nyomi. It was introduced into formal cultivation and wider awareness by the well-known nurseryman Cliff England (England’s Orchard & Nursery), who recognized its huge commercial potential.

Detailed variety description: Tree and Pollination

• Vigor: Fast-growing and robust (high vitality). It quickly forms a canopy and reaches a height of 4.5 to 6 meters at maturity. Agrotechnical tip: Maintenance pruning to a height of 2.5 to 3 meters and the removal of any root suckers are recommended to keep the tree compact and easy to manage.
• Habit: Has strong, upright growth, but can be easily shaped by pruning to facilitate harvesting.
• Pollination: Like most pawpaws, this variety requires cross-pollination by another, genetically different variety to ensure a crop.

Fruits

• Size and weight: Large. The typical weight ranges from 170 to 340 g, with fruits weighing over 450 g not being an exception. The fruits are structurally "plump" and reach a length of 10 to 15 cm.
• Fruit set: Often forms in heavy clusters of 4 to 5 pieces.
• Color and skin (Maturity indicator): The variety has a distinct visual maturity indicator (color break). When the fruit is ready for harvest, the skin lightens to a mottled yellowish hue.
• Flesh: Bright yellow-orange. The texture is silky, smooth, without any grittiness or stringiness (often described as "melting on the palate").
• Seeds: Low seed count.
• Taste and aroma: Intensely sweet and mild, with citrus notes. It completely lacks the musky aftertaste or bitterness that can deter first-time consumers.

Cultivation properties and characteristics

• Phenology:
  • Ripening: Early to mid-early variety. In its native Kentucky, it ripens in late August; in more northern and cooler zones (such as Central Europe), it ripens in September. Thanks to its shorter development cycle, it reliably avoids early autumn frosts.
  • Yield: High and consistent. Unlike some other varieties that prioritize either size or quantity, 'Nyomi's Delicious' manages both and provides heavy annual crops.
• Resistance and requirements:
  • Frost resistance: Fully frost-hardy in USDA zones 5-9. It thrives excellently even in regions with shorter summers.
  • Diseases: Shows excellent natural resistance to common leaf spots. Thanks to its vigorous growth, it recovers quickly from minor environmental stresses.

Drawbacks of the variety:

• Cross-pollination (strictly requires planting with another pawpaw variety to ensure a crop).