Papaya Tree ID

Hey all. I posted this thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1076179/ in the plant identification forum, but got no responses. I grew it from seed, and is around 7 months old, and the thing is a monster! It's taller than my 8' ficus hedge by far. I kind of want to know the variety so I can gauge the ripening process. The flowers are yellow and the fruits are green and round/oval in shape.

If you're hoping to get a cultivar name, it won't have one since it's grown from seed. If you know what the name of the parent plant was it's possible it might be similar to it, but the named cultivars won't necessarily come true from seed so that's no guarantee.

Wow thanks for the information ecrane. I didn't know that! I guess I'll have to wait and see how they come out!

hey! Great Papaya! Lucky you.

Papaya are called trees only because they are big and tall. They are not trees Just plants.

Beware birds! If birdies attack, cover fruits with something, black plastic trash bags.

Harvest when stripes of yellow show on fruits

Come back, talk to me!

Melissa

Melissa, that is exactly the information I was looking for! Someone told me they were considered a fast growing herb! I just called it tree because it's bigger than some trees in my neighborhood haha! Thanks for the advise on the covering, and especially for ripening. I wasn't quite sure how to gauge the ripeness. I'll come back and report once I eat my first papaya!

Go ahead and pick fruit when it's half orange, to gauge how you like it. Or when you find the first bird bite. The longer on the 'tree' the softer and sweeter.