Papaya
Carica papaya
- Native to:
- Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá
Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Caricaceae
- Genus:
- Carica
- Species:
- Carica papaya
- USDA Symbol:
- CAPA23
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 900 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Colors:
- cream, yellow
- Food Forest:
- Contains edible parts
Host Plant for Caterpillars
almond moth (Cadra cautella), Alope Sphinx (Erinnyis alope), corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), Dichrorampha sedatana, Ello Sphinx (Erinnyis ello), Erechthias minuscula, Lassaux's Sphinx (Erinnyis lassauxii), papaya webworm moth (Davara caricae), Spotted Apatelodes (Apatelodes torrefacta), Cleobaea Tigerwing (Lycorea cleobaea)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, butterflies
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers fertile soils with good organic content
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily at warm temperatures (25-30°C). Viability decreases rapidly with storage; fresh seed recommended.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI