About — PawpawSeeds.com
A small orchard in Andreas, Pennsylvania
The property is in Andreas, Pennsylvania — Schuylkill County, in the ridge and valley terrain of central Pennsylvania. About 23 acres assembled over time, with an agricultural designation that reflects the long-term intent: productive land, not a yard.
The soil here was compacted from prior use. We've been working on that — tillage radish cover crops, organic matter additions, minimal mechanical disturbance, a long fertility timeline. Pawpaw fits well into this approach. It's a tree that improves the land it grows on rather than extracting from it.
We grow two named cultivars: Susquehanna and Allegheny. Both were developed through the Kentucky State University pawpaw program, which has done most of the serious cultivar selection work in North America. They're planted in alternating pairs for cross-pollination, at 15-foot spacing within rows.
The goal wasn't to build a production orchard in the commercial sense. It was to establish a productive perennial system on land that will be here for generations — something that produces food and builds ecological value at the same time. Pawpaw checks both boxes. It's a native species, supports native pollinators and wildlife, and requires minimal inputs once established.
We harvest seeds every September when the fruit ripens. Seeds go directly into cold stratification — packed in moist sphagnum, sealed, and held at refrigerator temperature from September through late winter. By March or April, they've completed their full 100+ day stratification period and are ready to plant.
We ship in spring, timed to your planting window. Seeds arrive in moist medium, fully stratified, ready to go in the ground. No waiting, no setup, no fridge management required on your end. Plant them in warm soil and water consistently.
Pawpaw is native to the eastern United States and was a staple food for Native American communities across its range. It produces the largest edible fruit of any tree native to North America. It's pest-resistant, deer-resistant once established, adapted to the climate zone where most American gardeners and small farmers live, and produces fruit with an extraordinary flavor profile.
It also nearly disappeared from American food culture because it doesn't ship well. The fruit bruises easily and has a 2–3 day shelf life at room temperature. The commercial food system has no use for it. That's exactly why growing your own makes so much sense — you get access to a fruit that most people in the country have never tasted, on your own land, with minimal ongoing care.
We started planting because it fit the land and the long-horizon thinking. We sell seeds because there's genuine demand from people who've tasted pawpaw, learned it's native and growable, and want to start their own stand. The growing guides on this site came from real questions from real growers — we wrote down what we've actually learned, not what textbooks say.
Questions about seeds, orders, or growing? Reach us at [email protected]. We respond to most questions within a day or two during the spring season, longer in fall and winter.
$15 for a pack of 10 seeds. Pennsylvania-grown, fully stratified, ship-ready in spring. Plant directly after your last frost.
Order Seeds — $15 per 10 Seeds