Troubleshooting
Pawpaw 'Susquehanna' problems — and how to fix them
Pawpaw 'Susquehanna' (Asimina triloba 'Susquehanna') 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 this cultivar's large fruit.
Fruit drop in drought
Heavy fruit aborts if soil dries; water deeply in dry spells and mulch to hold moisture.
Transplant setback
Sensitive brittle taproot; plant young grafted trees and disturb the roots as little as possible.
Branch strain from heavy fruit
Large fruit can weigh down limbs; thin clusters or support branches in a good cropping year.
Prevent pawpaw 'susquehanna' problems before they start
Most pawpaw 'susquehanna' issues are care-mismatch, not bad luck. Dial in the basics:
Looking for pawpaw 'susquehanna' in general rather than its problems? Read the full pawpaw 'susquehanna' care guide — light, water, soil and feeding.
Pawpaw 'Susquehanna' problems — FAQ
Why is my pawpaw 'susquehanna' poor fruit set?
Self-incompatible with weak insect pollination; plant a second cultivar and hand-pollinate to secure this cultivar's large fruit.
Why is my pawpaw 'susquehanna' fruit drop in drought?
Heavy fruit aborts if soil dries; water deeply in dry spells and mulch to hold moisture.
Why is my pawpaw 'susquehanna' transplant setback?
Sensitive brittle taproot; plant young grafted trees and disturb the roots as little as possible.
Why is my pawpaw 'susquehanna' branch strain from heavy fruit?
Large fruit can weigh down limbs; thin clusters or support branches in a good cropping year.