HOW DO PAPAYAS GROW?

Many people are surprised to learn that the papaya tree is actually an herb, but unlike many of its cousins, this herb can grow 10 or 12 feet tall! The Mexican variety can grow even taller. Papaya trees can be one of three sex types: male, female or hermaphrodite. Only the female and hermaphrodite trees produce fruit, but the quality of the fruit is not the same. Fruit from the hermaphrodite trees is the best, and is the fruit youre likely to find in a supermarket. WHERE DO PAPAYAS GROW? The papaya tree is native to Mexico and Central America, but the trees are now grown in every tropical and subtropical country. Brazil is the leading papaya producing country, but most of the papaya sold in the U.S. comes from Mexico. Papaya grown in Hawaii is usually sold to Canada and Japan. GREAT WAYS TO EAT PAPAYAS Fresh papaya makes a great snack! Its so sweet and refreshing. Before you eat a papaya, make sure it is ripe by gently pressing it with your thumb. If you can press it in a bit, its ... more