General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 10a -1.1 °C (30 °F) to +1.7 °C (35 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 11
Plant Height: 6 to 18 feet
Leaves: Evergreen
Fruit: Showy
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Flower Color: White
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Underground structures: Taproot
Suitable Locations: Patio/Ornamental/Small Tree
Edible Parts: Fruit
Eating Methods: Raw
Cooked
Resistances: Humidity tolerant
Toxicity: Leaves are poisonous
Other: Leaves and un-ripe fruit are toxic and must be cooked before eating. Milky sap is an irritant and may cause severe gastritis if ingested annd may cause be a skin irritant in some individuals.
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: Dioecious
Awards and Recognitions: RHS AGM

Image
Common names
  • Papaya
  • Melon Tree
  • Mamao-Macho
  • Papaia
  • Ababaia
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Carica papaya
  • Synonym: Carica jamaicensis

Photo Gallery
Location: Denver Botanic Garden
Date: 2024-02-29
Location: Conservatory, Hidden Lake Gardens, Michigan
Date: 2018-01-26
Caricaceae:  Carica papaya - fruit ripening in stages
Location: La Fortuna, Costa Rica | Old Photo
Date: 2022-12-17
Location: Colima, Colima Mexico (USDA Zone 11)
Date: 2017-12-19
Carica papaya Red Maradol
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04
Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2015-08-29
Location: Conservatory, Hidden Lake Gardens, Michigan
Date: 2018-01-26
Caricaceae:  Carica papaya - growing happily in a small domed con
Location: Kauai
Date: 2010-11-14
Location: Lake Macquarie, N.S.W., Australia
Date: 2018-04-12
Location: A tire shop in South Dallas, TX
Date: 2021-10-28
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Meise Botanical Garden)
Location: Colima, Colima Mexico (USDA Zone 11)
Date: 2017-12-15
Carica papaya Red Maradol
Location: Oviedo, Florida, United States
Date: 2019-12-30
Location: Rain Forest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2010-02-17
Location: Rain Forest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2010-02-17
they smell gorgeous!
Location: A tire shop in South Dallas, TX
Date: 2021-10-28
Location: On my kitchen counter
Date: 2015-12-31
Showing a harvested papaya from my garden
Location: Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit, MI
Date: 2015-07-17
Location: On a local fruit and vegetable market, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Date: 2014-02-02
The ones on the right are the bigger 'Formosa'.
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Meise Botanical Garden)
Date: 2024-01-24
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Meise Botanical Garden)
Location: Rain Forest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2010-02-04
with fruit..
Location: Rain Forest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2010-02-17
In bloom..
Location: At home - San Joaquin County, CA
Date: 12Feb2015
Store bought green papaya used for cooking.
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: July 2012
unripe fruit.
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: July 2012
plant with male flowers
Location: Atlantic rainforest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2014-01-17
Top view of female tree.
Location: Atlantic rainforest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2013-12-22
Male flowers
Location: Quad Cities Botanical Garden, Rock Island, Il.
Date: 2012-07-01
Location: Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit, MI
Date: 2015-07-17
Location: Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit, MI
Date: 2015-07-17
Location: my garden 
Date: 2017-10-20
Location: Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit, MI
Date: 2015-07-17
Location: my garden 
Date: 2017-10-20

Date: Febuary
credit: Prenn
Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2015-05-01
Location: Kenner, La. 70065
Date: Nov 2015
critters dinner
Location: Kenner, La. 70065
Date: September 2013
Location: Kenner, La. 70065
Date: September 2015
grown from cutting
Location: Rain Forest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2010-02-17
Young plant
Location: Rain Forest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2010-02-04

photo credit: H. Zell

photo credit: H. Zell

photo credit: H. Zell

photo credit: Phyzome

photo credit: Jeevan Jose, Kerala, India
Location: Chanticleer Garden
photo by Derek Ramsey.
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Date: 2015-05-01
Papaya tree sapling

Date: 2012-11-28

Date: 2012-11-28

Date: 2012-11-28
Location: Lake Macquarie, N.S.W., Australia
Date: 2018-04-12
Location: Atlantic Rainforest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2015-01-24
Hermaphrodite plant!
Location: Atlantic Rainforest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2014-12-20
Location: Miami, FL
Date: 2014-01
sidewalk planting
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: July 2012
These are the female flowers.
Location: Atlantic rainforest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2014-01-13
Female flower
Location: Atlantic rainforest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2014-01-17
Female flower
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: July 2012
Male flowers which are suspended on long stalks.
Location: Atlantic rainforest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2013-12-16
Stem of a female tree.
Location: Atlantic rainforest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2013-12-22
Flowers on a male tree.
Location: Atlantic rainforest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2013-12-22
Male flowering tree.
Location: Atlantic rainforest, Paraty, Brazil
Date: 2013-12-27
Location: Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit, MI
Date: 2015-07-17
Location: my garden 
Date: 2017-06-18
Grown from seed; young plant transplanted 2 months ago
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: December 2014
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: December 2014
Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2015-05-01
Small fruit forming
Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2015-05-01
Location: my garden 
Date: 2017-07-06
Location: Kenner, La. 70065
Date: March 2014
after harsh winter
Location: Kenner, La. 70065
Date: September 2013
backyard, Southern Louisiana after mild winter
Location: Kenner, La. 70065
Date: Aug 2015
fruit on multiple branches
Location: Kenner, La. 70065
Date: September 2015
roots ventured out from container across the deck to find more so
Comments:
  • Posted by bonitin (Ghent, Belgium - Zone 8a) on May 31, 2014 9:22 AM concerning plant:
    You need a male flowering plant in the proximity for a female tree to produce fruits. Male or female plants can only be recognized when flowering.
    It does occur that a tree has both male and female flowers and thus can bear fruit too.
Plant Events from our members
piksihk On May 18, 2018 Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc)
Freeze killed it
piksihk On August 4, 2017 Bloomed
piksihk On June 22, 2017 Transplanted
HW behind camellia
piksihk On April 16, 2016 Seeds germinated
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