Troubleshooting
Pawpaw 'Overleese' problems — and how to fix them
Pawpaw 'Overleese' (Asimina triloba 'Overleese') is generally forgiving once you match its basics, but a few issues come up again and again. Here is what each one looks like, why it happens, and the fix.
Poor fruit set
Self-incompatible with weak insect pollination; plant a second cultivar and hand-pollinate to secure its heavy crops.
Fruit drop in drought
Large fruit aborts if soil dries; water deeply in dry spells and mulch to hold moisture.
Transplant setback
Fragile taproot resents disturbance; plant young grafted trees and disturb the roots as little as possible.
Suckering
Forms thickets from root suckers; remove unwanted shoots annually to keep a single-trunk tree.
Prevent pawpaw 'overleese' problems before they start
Most pawpaw 'overleese' issues are care-mismatch, not bad luck. Dial in the basics:
Looking for pawpaw 'overleese' in general rather than its problems? Read the full pawpaw 'overleese' care guide — light, water, soil and feeding.
Pawpaw 'Overleese' problems — FAQ
Why is my pawpaw 'overleese' poor fruit set?
Self-incompatible with weak insect pollination; plant a second cultivar and hand-pollinate to secure its heavy crops.
Why is my pawpaw 'overleese' fruit drop in drought?
Large fruit aborts if soil dries; water deeply in dry spells and mulch to hold moisture.
Why is my pawpaw 'overleese' transplant setback?
Fragile taproot resents disturbance; plant young grafted trees and disturb the roots as little as possible.
Why is my pawpaw 'overleese' suckering?
Forms thickets from root suckers; remove unwanted shoots annually to keep a single-trunk tree.