Nursery
Mail-order pawpaw specialist; KSU-licensed Benson and Chappell; order in winter for spring shipping.
Maria's Joy Pawpaw
Lehman Selections
Maria's Joy is a Lehman Selections variety, bred by Bred by Jerry Lehman of Terre Haute, Indiana, late season, ripening September to October.
- Flavor
- Sweet, banana-like flavor with creamy, custard-like flesh
- Size
- Medium-large, 8-14 oz (225-400 g)
- Ripening
- Late season, ripening September to October
- Productivity
- Heavy, reliable annual producer
- Notes
- More cold hardy than average; won the Ohio Pawpaw Festival biggest-pawpaw contest in 2012
What growers say
Maria's Joy is a Davis by Prolific cross bred by Jerry Lehman of Terre Haute, Indiana. The medium to large fruit, 8 to 14 ounces, has a sweet, banana-like flavor and creamy, custard-like flesh, on a heavy annual producer that is more cold hardy than average and hardy to about minus 20 F. It ripens late, September into October, and won the Ohio Pawpaw Festival's biggest-pawpaw contest in 2012.
A Davis by Prolific cross bred by Jerry Lehman; sweet, banana-like flavor with creamy, custard-like flesh, more cold hardy than average and late ripening.
Where to buy Maria's Joy pawpaw trees
Maria's Joy pawpaw trees are in stock at 1 of the 9 nurseries PawpawMap checked as of Oct 7, 2026.
- Beautiful Beginnings NurserySold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Cricket Hill GardenSold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- One Green WorldIn stockconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Peaceful Heritage NurserySold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Perry PermacultureSold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Planting Justice (formerly Rolling River Nursery)Sold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Raintree NurserySold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Restoring EdenSold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Trees of JoySold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
Each line shows the date PawpawMap last confirmed that seller's stock. Spot a listing that is wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.
Nursery
Cricket Hill Garden
ShipsSelect pawpaw seedlings from named parents (Taytwo, Overleese, NC-1, IXL, Peterson); zone-6-grown stock; open Wed-Sat in season.
Nursery
One Green World
Ships In stockShips to all 50 states; many varieties sell by email announcement rather than open stock; retail yard open daily.
Nursery
Kentucky-grown grafted trees, seedlings, seed, and scionwood; licensed to propagate KSU cultivars.
Nursery
Perry Permaculture
Ships In stockGrafted pawpaw trees ship in fall (~October); one of two MI Peterson-pawpaw licensees.
Nursery
Operates the former Rolling River Nursery; around 25 pawpaw varieties; ships nationwide.
PricingSeedlings $18
Nursery
Raintree Nursery
ShipsMail-order bare-root and potted stock; 18+ pawpaw varieties in a dedicated category.
Nursery
Restoring Eden
Ships In stockNursery and garden center; pawpaw among berries, exotics, and cold-hardy citrus; ships plants year-round.
Nursery
Grafted Peterson/KSU trees; sells out fast each season.
PricingGrafted trees $45
Nursery
Trees of Joy
Ships In stockGrafted pawpaw available late April; ships trees, seeds, and fresh-pawpaw boxes nationwide.
Related cultivars
Lehman Selections
Lehman's Delight
Excellent, sweet flavor
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