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The problem, experts say, is that both the fruit’s picking season and shelf life are unfortunately short. Pawpaw trees bear fruit for only about six weeks in late summer, the fruit bruises easily and, after picking, only lasts a few days—about a week, refrigerated—presenting significant commercial challenges.

Adjusting for taste is important, says Sheri Crabtree, a horticulture research and extension associate at KYSU, because some wild pawpaw can have bitter or other “off” flavors; they can be “turpentine-y or just bland,” she says. “We would like to have some more unique flavors among cultivars, like some varieties have a more pronounced melon, coconut, or pineapple flavor.”

Taking five or more years to grow and bear fruit does make for a significant challenge for commercial production.

But it seems to grow well in the Eastern US and as far north as Michigan.

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Frozen fruit pulp will last one year frozen.