Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Why Don't Mine Dangle?



I really want ones that dangle like these.
But my paw paws only grow like this.
How do I get a dangly one?

17 comments:

Enchanted Moments said...

Darling girl, I have dangly ones, and I really wish I didnt, I would much prefer those that I see up there that are perky and sitting lovely and upright.....dangly ones are so over rated...now, what actually are we talking about here...oh yes, paw paws....right oh, my mistake....x

Byddi - We didn't come here for the grass... said...

Ha ha - very funny post! And the comment too... LOL.

Mal's Allotment said...

You want pedunculate ones - you check the label.
Don't be sessile!

Missy said...

Be careful what you wish for.

Mark Willis said...

Dangly ones are mature ones. Upright ones are immature. I know which I prefer! Good things come to those who wait...

Ali said...

Oh Suzanne you made me laugh out loud... you funny cheeky monkey. The dangly ones are way better, look at how much more fun they are!

Mark I don't think that my upright ones have ever dangled... perhaps I am doing something wrong???

Mal I looked up your fabulous word but can't find it. Unless you are calling me a polyp?!

duchess_declutter said...

Ali you're a laugh! I've got upright ones aplenty on an older trunk - how does that work...... maybe its a different variety?!

Elaine coolowl said...

Wonderful comments - delightful photos as always Ali - sorry to be the spoilsport here :-( The dangly ones are fruit on a male plant, the pert ones are fruit on a female plant. I wish it were more esoteric not to say romantic, but there you are ...

Mal's Allotment said...

Elaine, that crossed my mind but do you really get male and female whole plants. Corn has male and female flowers and only the female ones develop as fruit. Please tell as I don't know much about fruit pollination (obviously).

My line of thinking was as for oak trees where the two types (in the UK) are:

pedunculate - with the acorns on stalks and

sessile - acorns in clusters with no stalks

Jim Groble said...

My pic was tulips. i'll ask the same question. What is that hanging from the tree?

Elaine coolowl said...

With some plants there are definite male and female plants ... Carob springs to mind. It's fairly rare but Paw Paws as we call them and Papayas as others call them are one such species. The older not-now-commercial varieties tend towards separate males and females. Most of the commercial and ones you buy as seedlings from a nursery are what are laughingly called 'bisexual'. You don't need a male to get fruit at all ... plants have some weird sexual habits - see David whatsis series on the Secret Life of Plants - well worth hiring or buying. Anyway to Paw Paws: there are a number of plants similar to this and an Australian native violet (Viola betonicafolia) produces fertile seeds without even opening the flower never mind being fertilised. And Paw Paws do the same - the so-called 'bisexuals' are fertile females in effect, the fruit is there in embryo form as it is in a Pumpkin, but unlike a Pumpkin, it 'just grows' from there without benefit of bees nor birds either.

And for whatever reason, the old-fashioned varieties of Paw Paw occasionally produce fruit, as you've seen - fascinating to say the least. I just love the way you are cradling those babies Ali, very sensuous ;-) And Jim, what is hanging from the tree is edible fruits from a male Paw Paw plant. There's no tulips in my pic, the masthead photo is a Canna flower.

Ali said...

Elaine you gorgeous young thing, I knew that you would come up with the goods. Do you know that as a child I was told that the fruits were male and female, which I am quite sure I thought was hilarious at the time.

It's not me holding the fruit in the photos Elaine, it's Felix. It was all I could do to stop him from giving them a good swing too, although who could blame him - to tell the truth if I had dangly ones like those I'd be swinging them around too!

africanaussie said...

I have never seen dangly pawpaw like that, where did you get the photos? I have a male pawpaw tree and a couple of female trees. The way I tell the difference is that the male tree has flowers on long stalks and never bears fruit. It makes for a very funny post though....

Ali said...

Hey African Aussie, the photo is of a paw paw tree at my elder son's school, just kind of growing there next to a wall. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to take a photo, it's one of the more fabulous paw paws I have seen.

Mal's Allotment said...

Bisexual or hermaphrodite? Either way they swing both ways.

tessa said...

this is all very interesting indeed. I have grown both male and female with the same results as africanaussie. I think we need to press further. i can feel my doubting-Thomas hat coming on :/

Ali said...

Well miss Thomas, press further we shall. Have no fear, I have resources near!

(I'll ask my father).

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