| |  | | Dwarf Papaya
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Dawn Wilson
Posted on: February 8, 1999
Please tell me the growing conditions required for your papaya, Richters’ catalog #S4340. It says "Dwarf variety 30 inches" does that mean a plant, bush, or tree? I live in southern California in Zone 19. Also, how large are the fruits?
Papayas require rich, moist well-drained soil (clay and marshes are fatal) and need high humidity. They do best in soils with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. They need full sun and survive winters in climates such as southern Florida. Such climates may have the occasional very light frost but are essentially tropical. On the Hortus Third zone scale such a climate is called zone 10b and southern California has the same climate.
Papayas always form a single trunk with leaves near the top only and the fruits appearing just underneath the leaf canope. The size of the fruits will vary from plant to plant but are around 10 centimeters long. They bear fruit a few months after planting if grown in tropical climates, but are short lived plants.
| | |
|
