Oh wow, pawpaws! They don't do well here, but I try. My theory is, the grafts aren't as effective as most fruits, and die after stresses. I have two pawpaw trees (clumps) that grew from rootstocks after the scions died. They do bear a couple dozen fruits each year. I used to hand pollinate them. Last year they did OK without my interventions. Summer here is usually dry from late May/early June, to Sept/Oct. I think they need more rain and humidity than I can provide.
Mine are only 4 years old but they flowered last year, I hand pollinated mine as well but I think I did it too late because the flowers fell off a few days later. Or, it could be that they were just too young. The site I bought them from said they were 3-4' and 2 years old and would give fruit at 5-8 years old. I think that they are just a bit tricky and have more stringent requirements in certain parts of the country than others. I'm still hopeful that I will have fruit sooner than later !!
Our friends said they didn't plant any for this year - I suggested maybe they didn't need to. These increase anyway as they naturalise. This garden is always a joy to be in - not only that we get to make a fuss of their two gorgeous dogs
@Daniel W If you have a look at this hedge, and imagine a deep red mixed in with the green and yellow of the Forsythia and Hypericum, this is how I was thinking when I replied to your removal of the Cotinus. Quite a lot of otherwise unruly trees and shrubs can be tamed with loppers or shears to create a nice tidy patchwork of colour - a bit like a random quilt! Early in the year, the yellow is at the bottom with the Hypericum flowers.
