Pawpaw

The pawpaw is the largest fruit native to North America. It grows wild in about 26 eastern states, and was discovered by Hernando DeSoto c.1540 and has been delightfully consumed by Native Americans and other historical Americans like Lewis & Clark.

Pawpaws are a nutritious fruit similar to banana in overall composition - high in food energy with lots of potassium. The flavor is unique but think of a strawberry banana but with more juice.

The Ohio Pawpaw Growers' Association lobbied for the pawpaw to be the Ohio state native fruit in 2006; this was made official in 2009.