Common Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is in the custard-apples family (Annonaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 8,674 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Nationally it blooms mainly from April to May, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Common Pawpaw: observations by month (U.S.)
About Common Pawpaw
Asimina triloba, the papaw, pawpaw, paw paw, paw-paw, or common pawpaw, is a small deciduous tree native to the eastern United States and Canada, producing a large, yellowish-green to brown fruit. It belongs to the genus Asimina in the same plant family (the Annonaceae) as the custard-apple, cherimoya, sweetsop, ylang-ylang and soursop.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Common Pawpaw by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 1,595 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Maryland | 1,285 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Ohio | 949 | April | Apr–May |
| Missouri | 606 | April | Apr–Apr |
| North Carolina | 545 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Tennessee | 521 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Illinois | 452 | April | Apr–May |
| Indiana | 450 | April | Apr–May |
| Kentucky | 446 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Pennsylvania | 393 | April | Apr–May |
| Arkansas | 193 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Michigan | 183 | May | May–May |
| West Virginia | 180 | April | Apr–Apr |
| South Carolina | 147 | March | Mar–Apr |
| District of Columbia | 144 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Kansas | 132 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Georgia | 126 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Alabama | 98 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Mississippi | 55 | March | Mar–Apr |
| New York | 45 | May | Apr–May |
| Louisiana | 37 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Delaware | 26 | April | Apr–May |
| Oklahoma | 15 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Texas | 15 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Nebraska | 13 | May | Apr–May |
| New Jersey | 12 | May | Apr–May |
| Iowa | 7 | May | May–May |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (custard-apples)
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Common Pawpaw?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from April to May.
Where is Common Pawpaw most often seen?
The most observations come from Virginia, Maryland, Ohio.