Pawpaw vs Capilano Apricot - TreeTime.ca

Pawpaw vs Capilano Apricot

Prunus Capilano

Asimina triloba

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Capilano Apricot
Pawpaw

Capilano Apricot is a cold-hardy variety known for its sweet, juicy, full-flavored fruit. It produces white to pink blooms in early spring, before the leaves emerge, followed by golden-yellow, freestone apricots. They ripen from mid-July to early August and are well-suited for fresh eating, baking, wine, canning, and preserves.

The Capilano Apricot originated from three trees planted in Edmonton’s Capilano neighbourhood during the 1960s. As they began producing fruit, local fruit enthusiasts took notice and propagated the trees, with the southernmost becoming particularly popular. Though the original trees no longer exist, the Capilano Apricot remains a widely sought-after cold-hardy variety.

Capilano Apricot is generally considered self-pollinating, but planting with another variety for cross-pollination can increase yields.

Note: The early bloom time makes the flowers vulnerable to spring frosts, which can reduce or eliminate the fruit crop

The Pawpaw tree produces delicious, sweet fruit with a unique banana-mango flavor. These oblong fruits start yellowish-green and mature to a dark brown in the fall. It is best to leave them on the tree until ripe, as they do not ripen well once picked. Pawpaws can be enjoyed fresh, in baking, or in ice cream.

Pawpaws produce the largest native fruit in North America. They typically grow as a small understory tree or large shrub on wooded slopes, in ravines, and along stream banks. They often spread through root suckers, forming dense thickets over time.

For fruit production to occur more than one genetically different Pawpaw tree is required. Our Pawpaw seedlings are grown from seed so they are all genetically different.

Note: Avoid eating the seeds and skin of the Pawpaw fruit as they can cause stomach pain for some individuals. Contact with the skin of the fruit can also result in skin irritation, so it is recommended to wear gloves during harvest. Plant this tree once. Due to its large tap root transplanting is not recommended.

Capilano Apricot Quick Facts

Pawpaw Quick Facts

Zone: 3b
Zone: 5a
Height: 8 m (25 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: any
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: spreading to rounded
Spreading: suckering - low
Suckering: high


Flowers: white to pink
Flowers: red purple
Bloom time: early spring
Fruit: freestone apricots
Fruit: large, yellow green to brown
Fruit size: 5cm in diameter
Flavor: sweet, slightly tart
Flavor: similar to mango or banana
Harvest: mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON
Other Names: american pawpaw, custard apple, custard apple tree, indian banana, paw paw, paw-paw, wild banana