Buckhannon in Upshur County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)

Asimina triloba (pawpaw, or West Virginia banana)

<i>Asimina triloba</i> (pawpaw, or West Virginia banana) Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bradley Owen, February 24, 2025

1. Asimina triloba (pawpaw, or West Virginia banana) Marker

Inscription.
Family: Annonaceae (Custard Apple Family)

Distribution: The pawpaw is present in much of Eastern North America from Ontario and Michigan south to Florida and Texas. Native American tribes cultivated the pawpaw and are responsible for its widespread distribution today.

Size: This tree or shrub can grow 10 to 46 ft. tall. The fruits can grow 1 to 10 in. long.

Habitat/Description: The pawpaw grows in humid climates and tolerates frost well. It can often be found in bottomlands of open woods in shady areas with wet, fertile soil. The trees can be found in clusters or thickets in oak-hickory forests and along road sides and streams in the mountains of West Virginia. The flowers bloom in April or May and the fruits ripen from late summer to mid-fall. The fruit is consumed by opossums, raccoons, squirrels, and foxes, which aids in seed dispersal. Crushed leaves smell spicy. Because the plants contain insecticidal and other inhibitory compounds, the pawpaw is pest and disease resistant, and not eaten by deer. This is a native, non-invasive species.

Ethnobotanical Uses: The fruit of the pawpaw is the largest edible

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

fruit native to America. High in amino acids, when ripe it has a sweet taste much like over-ripe bananas. The Cherokee and many other Native American tribes used this fruit for sustenance. From the mashed fruit the Iroquois made small cakes that were dried by the sun or fire and stored. These dried cakes were often soaked in water and cooked to make a sauce or relish served with cornbread. The dried cakes were also taken on hunts. The Cherokee twisted the inner bark of the plant to make strings and ropes.

Erected 2017 by West Virginia Wesleyan College Department of Biology.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Indigenous Peoples and Communities.

Location. 38° 59.597′ N, 80° 13.053′ W. Marker is in Buckhannon, West Virginia, in Upshur County. It can be reached from Camden Avenue north of Walktrail Lane, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located on the Buckhannon Nature Park and Learning Trail west of the Camden Avenue parking area. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8 Camden Avenue, Buckhannon

Photographed by Bradley Owen, March 10, 2025

2. Asimina triloba (pawpaw, or West Virginia banana) Marker

WV 26201, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Central West Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Euonymus atropurpureus (burning bush, eastern wahoo) (here, next to this marker); Chionanthus virginicus (fringetree) (a few steps from this marker); West Virginia Split Rail / West Virginia Forest Products (a few steps from this marker); Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore) (a few steps from this marker); Acer rubrum (red maple) (within shouting distance of this marker); Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed) (within shouting distance of this marker); Acer saccharum (sugar maple) (within shouting distance of this marker); Ligustrum vulgare (Chinese or common privet) (within shouting distance of this marker).

Paid Advertisement

Touch for a list and map of all markers in Buckhannon.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 29, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 147 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 29, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.