Worth knowing:
The palm-like Papaya is a very peculiar plant. It’s not really a tree since its stem doesn’t lignify, and from a botanical point of view, its huge fruits are actually berries. Its leathery, multiple dented leaves - resembling a fig - are seated spirally around the stem. The blossoms are cream-coloured with an aromatic scent. Unripe fruits are used like vegetables to make chutneys, curries and salsas. The ripe fruit pulp has a sweet taste which can be intensified by adding a little lemon juice or ginger. The name Papaya originates from the language of the Arawak Indians that used the fruit as medicinal plant. By the way, the Melon Tree was just the fifth plant in 2008, of which its genomes were completely sequenced.
Natural Location:
The origin of the Melon Tree is the south of Mexico. It was already cultivated in pre-columbian times by the Indians of Middle America and Brazil.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. To increase the germinability, you should place the seeds overnight in warm water for priming. Then plant the seeds about 1 cm deep in moist potting compost and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20°C and 25° Celsius and keep the earth moist, but not wet. The germination starts after three to four weeks.
Place:
The Melon Tree is a tropical plant and prefers to be kept in a bright and sunny spot. During summer, it can also be moved to a wind-protected and warm place in the garden or on your balcony. Even younger plants can resist the blazing sun.
Care:
The tropical Melon Tree needs rather less water, and it will be enough, to keep the earth a bit moist. Too much water might cause damage to the roots. Therefore, it is recommended, to let the upper layer of earth dry out between the watering periods with lime-deficient water or rain water. Between May and October you should also provide your plant with fluid fertilizer for tub plants every two weeks.
During the winter:
There is nothing to worry, if your Papaya plant casts almost all the leaves during winter time and shows signs of life only at the top of the sprout. Keep the clotted roots now rather dry. Especially during the hibernation of younger plants, you should keep the pot in a bright and draft-free place with a temperature between 15° and 25° Celsius. The soft-wooded branches can be pruned and then treated with a wound seal product.
Picture credits:
- © © H. Zell - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sakurai Midori - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © H. Zell - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
