Walk into a grocery store in Brisbane, Australia, and you’ll see big, orange-fleshed fruits labeled as paw paw. Hop on a flight to Miami, and that exact same fruit is a papaya. But then, if you find yourself wandering through a forest in Ohio or Kentucky, someone might hand you a small, custard-like fruit and call it a paw paw, too. Confused yet? You should be. It’s a mess.
The question of whether is paw paw the same as papaya doesn’t have a simple yes or no answer because it depends entirely on where your feet are planted on the map.
Terminology is a funny thing. In many parts of the world, specifically in Australia, South Africa, and parts of Southeast Asia, "paw paw" and "papaya" are used interchangeably to describe two different varieties of the Carica papaya species. However, in North America, the paw paw is an entirely different beast—the Asimina triloba—which is a cold-hardy tree that produces fruit tasting like a cross between a banana and a mango. If you buy a "paw paw" in a Sydney market, you’re eating a tropical fruit. If you forage a "paw paw" in the Appalachian mountains, you’re eating a North American temperate fruit. They aren't even in the same botanical family.
The Botanical Identity Crisis
Let’s get the science out of the way first. Papayas and the tropical version of paw paws belong to the Caricaceae family. These are the ones you see in smoothies. The North American paw paw belongs to the Annonaceae family, making it a distant cousin of the custard apple or soursop.
Honestly, the global confusion stems from colonial history. When European settlers encountered new fruits in the Americas and the Pacific, they were terrible at naming things. They just recycled names that sounded familiar. It’s why we have "robins" in America that look nothing like "robins" in Europe.
What You’re Likely Buying in the Store
If you are standing in a supermarket wondering is paw paw the same as papaya, you are likely looking at two versions of Carica papaya. Usually, the fruit labeled "papaya" is the Hawaiian or solo variety. It’s pear-shaped, weighs about a pound, and has vibrant greenish-yellow skin with bright pinkish-orange flesh. It’s sweet. Very sweet.
Then there’s the fruit often labeled "paw paw" in these regions. This is typically the larger, red-fleshed or yellow-fleshed variety from Mexico or Australia. It’s more oval, can grow quite large—sometimes several pounds—and the flavor is a bit more mellow, less sugary, and sometimes even a little musky.
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The North American Paw Paw: A Different World
Now, let’s talk about the Asimina triloba. This is the "wild" paw paw. It’s the largest edible fruit native to North America. If you haven't seen one, imagine a chunky, bruised-looking mango.
Unlike the tropical papaya, which grows on a soft-stemmed, herb-like tree that loves the heat, the North American paw paw grows on deciduous trees in the humid eastern United States. It survives frost. It actually needs a cold winter to thrive.
The flavor profile is wild. While a papaya has that clean, melon-like sweetness with a hint of "feet" (thanks to the enzyme papain), a North American paw paw is creamy. It’s often called the "custard apple" or "prairie banana." The texture is like flan. You can't really ship these fruits because they bruise if you even look at them wrong. That’s why you almost never see the true North American paw paw in a standard grocery store. You have to find a local grower or go hiking in late September.
Nutrition and Enzymes: Why People Eat Them
People often lump these together because they both have a reputation for being "superfoods," though that’s a marketing term I’m not fond of.
Papayas—the tropical kind—are famous for papain. This enzyme is a powerhouse for digestion. It breaks down proteins. It’s why you’ll find papaya extract in meat tenderizers and digestive supplements. If you eat a bunch of green papaya, you’re getting a massive dose of it.
The North American paw paw doesn't have papain. Instead, it’s loaded with acetogenins. There has been significant research, notably by Dr. Jerry McLaughlin at Purdue University, into how these compounds might interact with cancer cells. It’s complex science, and the jury is still out on practical medical applications for the average person, but it shows just how different these two "paw paws" really are on a molecular level.
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Culinary Uses and Mistakes
You can't swap them 1:1 in a recipe. Not really.
If a recipe calls for a green papaya salad (Som Tum), you need the unripe tropical Carica papaya. The North American paw paw would be a disaster here. Its flesh is too soft and creamy; it doesn't shred into those crisp, crunchy ribbons.
Conversely, if you're making a "paw paw pudding" from an old Appalachian cookbook, a tropical papaya will yield a watery, stringy mess. The North American paw paw provides a thick, fatty pulp that behaves more like mashed banana or pumpkin puree.
Spotting the Difference in the Wild (or the Aisle)
So, how do you tell them apart? Look at the seeds.
- Tropical Papaya/Paw Paw: Has hundreds of small, black, peppercorn-like seeds in a central cavity. They are crunchy and have a spicy, peppery kick.
- North American Paw Paw: Has a few large, brown, bean-like seeds scattered throughout the flesh. Don't eat these. They contain alkaloids that can make you sick.
Then, look at the skin. Tropical papayas have smooth, waxy skin that turns from green to yellow or orange. North American paw paws have a thin, almost matte skin that often gets dark spots—similar to a ripening banana—as it hits peak sweetness.
The Growing Climate Gap
Temperature is the ultimate divider. Tropical papayas are divas. They hate the cold. If the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, they start pouting. If it hits freezing, they die.
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The North American paw paw is a tank. It can handle temperatures down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. This is why you’ll find them in places like southern Ontario, Canada.
It’s actually quite sad that more people haven't tried the North American variety. Because it doesn't have a long shelf life, it hasn't been commercialized like the tropical papaya. While the tropical fruit is a global commodity, the native paw paw remains a cult classic for foragers and niche farmers.
Why the Confusion Still Matters
You might think this is just a "nerdy plant person" debate, but it matters for gardening and health. If you live in Ohio and order "papaya" seeds online thinking you can grow them in your backyard, you’re wasting your money. They will die in October.
If you are looking for the digestive benefits of papain to help with bloating, and you accidentally buy a North American paw paw jam at a farmers market, you aren't going to get the results you want.
How to Buy the Right One
- Check the Origin: If it’s from Mexico, Belize, Hawaii, or Brazil, it’s a tropical papaya (even if the sign says paw paw).
- Feel the Texture: If it feels like a firm melon, it’s tropical. If it feels like a soft, overripe avocado, it might be a North American paw paw.
- Smell It: Tropical papayas have a light, musky scent. North American paw paws smell intensely fruity, almost like a tropical punch candy.
Moving Forward With Your Fruit
Next time you're at a market and see these labels, don't just grab the first orange thing you see. Ask the vendor where it was grown. If you’re in the US and it’s autumn, seek out a true native paw paw just for the experience. The flavor is unlike anything else in the temperate world.
If you're looking for the tropical variety for a breakfast bowl, stick to the ones labeled "papaya" to ensure you get that classic sweetness.
Actionable Steps for the Fruit Curious:
- For Digestion: Stick to the tropical Carica papaya. Eat it fresh with a squeeze of lime to cut through the muskiness.
- For Foraging: Look for North American paw paws in late August through October near riverbanks in the eastern US.
- For Cooking: Use green (unripe) tropical papaya for savory salads and fully ripe North American paw paws for breads and custards.
- For Gardening: Only attempt tropical papayas in USDA zones 9-11. North American paw paws can thrive in zones 5-9.