Vasconcellea pubescens A.Dc.

A small tree. The tree has a silvery grey trunk. The tree is soft and not woody. It grows 1-2 m tall. The trunk has leaf scars. The leaves are smaller than ordinary pawpaw and deeply lobed. They are 8 sides and lobed. Leaves are 20-26 cm long by 34-40 cm wide. The leaf stalks are 17-34 cm long. Male and female flowers can be on the same or different plants. Many plants have both sexes. The fruit are small and angular. The fruit are 8-10 cm long. The fruit contain small round black skinned seed. The fruit is edible but tart.

They will grow to a higher altitude than common pawpaws. They grow at least between 1750 and 2200 m altitude. They can stand light frosts. They like a warm, dry site. They need shelter from the wind. It can grow in cooler tropical and subtropical climates. It suits a temperate between 10°C and 24°C. It benefits by plenty of rain. In the Andes it will grow above 2600 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 10-11.

The fruit are eaten. It often needs to have sugar added. It is also made into jam. The fruit is usually cooked and used as a vegetable. The are also used for marmalade or juice.

They are grown from seed. Plants can be male, female or both sexes. Seeds germinate easily. They can grow in 30 days. Occasionally cuttings are used.