Growing Papayas

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Papayas are native to Central America. Spanish explorers, upon discovering them, took seeds with them around the world. Papayas are now grown in Asia, Australia, and North and South America.

Though a papaya is a fruit, it is technically classified as a berry. And even though the plant resembles a tree, growing 4-10 feet tall, it is actually an herb.

There are two types of Papayas: Mexican and Hawaiian. Hawaiian papayas are grown commercially and commonly sold in grocery stores. Mexican papayas are much larger than Hawaiian papayas, weighing over ten pounds in some cases.

Papayas are very fast-growing compared to most fruit-bearing plants-- given the proper care, papaya plants will start producing fruit approximately nine months after sprouting. And, unlike many fruit trees, the harvest is often best the first year, meaning that most papaya plants should be kept for 3 years or less.

If you choose to grow a papaya plant indoors, you should get a bisexual variety so that it is more likely to produce fruit-- I recommend the Waimanalo Dwarf variety, which produces bisexual and female plants.

Here are growing instructions:

1. Plant one or two seeds in a large pot. Papayas hate being transplanted. 
2. Water the soil regularly, not letting it dry out. Germination usually takes about 3 or 4 weeks.
3. Once germinated, keep the plants in a warm, sunny place. Water regularly.