Nursery
Bob Wells Nursery at Sorelle Farms
Ships In stockFive-generation Texas nursery (est. 1941); pawpaw among specialty trees, ships within the US.
Sunflower Pawpaw
Wild and Heirloom
Sunflower is a Wild and Heirloom variety, bred by Milo Gibson, late season, ripening the first week of October in Michigan.
- Flavor
- Sweet and pleasant; a widely grown classic
- Size
- Large, up to about 8 oz (225 g)
- Seed
- Moderate seed (~8% seed by weight)
- Ripening
- Late season, ripening the first week of October in Michigan
- Productivity
- Productive; noted as reliably self-fertile, unusual for pawpaw
- Notes
- Butter-colored flesh and yellowish skin; one of the few pawpaws reported to set fruit without a second tree, though a pollination partner still improves yield
What growers say
Sunflower pawpaw is a widely grown classic, valued as much for being reliably self-fertile, unusual among pawpaws, as for its sweet, pleasant taste. Growers say it holds its own with Shenandoah and improves on wild fruit, and several note it is the one variety reported to set fruit without a second tree, though a pollination partner still helps yield. The large, butter-fleshed fruit ripens late, into early October.
Sunflower to me held its own with Shenandoah and both were improvements on the wild fruit I have eaten.
I think Sunflower by itself would be nice since it is the only reliable self-fertile one people say and still tasty.
Where to buy Sunflower pawpaw trees
PawpawMap found Sunflower pawpaw trees in stock at 1 of 8 nurseries as of Oct 7, 2026, out of 12 that ship it.
- Bob Wells Nursery at Sorelle FarmsSold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Edible LandscapingSold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- Elmore Roots NurserySold outconfirmed Oct 7, 2026 view listing
- One Green WorldIn stockconfirmed 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
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
Broken Arrow Nursery
ShipsPawpaw (Asimina triloba) in their online tree shop; retail nursery in Hamden open to visitors.
Nursery
Edible Landscaping
ShipsGrafted named varieties plus seedlings; plants ship potted year-round; nursery open daily.
Nursery
Elmore Roots Nursery
ShipsCold-hardy fruit-tree nursery (zone 3/4); pawpaw varieties including Sunflower and Pennsylvania Golden; retail and mail order.
Nursery
Grafted pawpaw trees are local pickup only. Also sells pawpaw seeds and scionwood; contact the nursery for what they will mail.
Nursery
Hidden Springs Nursery
ShipsBare-root mail-order ships November to April (dormant); pre-orders open ahead of the shipping window.
Pricing$25 to $26
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
Pawpaw trees for spring pickup; varieties typically offered include Mango, Sunflower, and NC-1 (Canadian hardy), with many varieties selling out early; open by appointment.
Nursery
Grafted pawpaw trees by reservation, scions, breeding and education.
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
Licensed and inspected under TN law. Price list carries select seedling pawpaw, grafted Sunflower and grafted Peterson pawpaw. Local sales plus Etsy.
Nursery
Grafted Peterson/KSU trees; sells out fast each season.
PricingGrafted trees $45
Nursery
Stark Bro's
Ships13 pawpaw varieties including licensed KSU cultivars; one-year survival guarantee.
PricingFree shipping on orders $99+
Nursery
Grafted Peterson and KSU pawpaw cultivars, pickup from mid-June; some trees sold or shipped via eBay; hosts NOFA-NJ workshops.
Pricing$110 to $160
Nursery
Whitman Farms
ShipsCultivar Sunflower in one-gallon pots; call to order; ships year-round as weather allows; visits by appointment.
Related cultivars
Wild and Heirloom
Overleese
Rich, full pawpaw flavor; long valued as a benchmark variety
Wild and Heirloom
NC-1
Sweet and full-flavored with an avocado-like consistency and little bitterness
Wild and Heirloom
Davis
Good, mild pawpaw flavor
Wild and Heirloom
Taytwo
Mild, sweet pawpaw flavor
Wild and Heirloom
Pennsylvania Golden
Classic, strong wild pawpaw flavor
Wild and Heirloom
Mango
Rich, candied-banana flavor with vivid orange-yellow pulp
Wild and Heirloom
Wells
Reported sweet, but flavor and other traits are not authoritatively documented
Wild and Heirloom
Prolific
Sweet, yellow-fleshed fruit; sets heavily, often without hand pollination
Wild and Heirloom
Taylor
Mild pawpaw flavor; yellow flesh with green skin
Wild and Heirloom
Uncle Tom
Historic selection valued more for its place in pawpaw history than for documented flavor
Wild and Heirloom
Ketter
Mild but very rich flavor, neither insipid nor cloying; medium-yellow flesh
Wild and Heirloom
Dr. Potter
Mild flavor; rich yellow flesh
Wild and Heirloom
Buckman
Mild flavor with white flesh
Wild and Heirloom
Mitchell
Wild and Heirloom
Wilson
Sweet, banana-pear flavor with a custard texture
Wild and Heirloom
Halvin
Very sweet and smooth with no aftertaste and a hint of pineapple
Wild and Heirloom
IXL
Wild and Heirloom
Rebecca's Gold
Very sweet and richly flavored
Wild and Heirloom
Lynn's Favorite
Wild and Heirloom
SAA-Zimmerman
Wild and Heirloom
Mary Foos Johnson
Wild and Heirloom
Sweet Alice
Wild and Heirloom
Horn's White
Unusually white, creamy, very sweet flesh with coconut and cherimoya notes
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