Piedmont pawpaw (Asimina ×piedmontana)

Piedmont hybrid pawpaw

Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey / License

Asimina ×piedmontana: Piedmont Hybrid Pawpaw Guide

Known commonly as the Piedmont hybrid pawpaw, this deciduous shrub arises as a natural cross between Asimina triloba and Asimina parviflora. It is typically found in regions where the native ranges of its parent species overlap, primarily within the southeastern United States.

First described by botanist Charles Norman Horn in 2015, this hybrid showcases intermediate morphological characteristics. It predominantly grows in states like North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, thriving in the understory of Piedmont forests.

Taxonomy

∟ царство Plantae
∟ division Tracheophytes (Vascular Plants)
∟ subdivision Spermatophytes (Seed plants)
∟ Angiosperms
∟ magnoliids
∟ order Magnoliales
∟ family Annonaceae (Custard apple family)
∟ subfamily Annonoideae
∟ genus Asimina (Pawpaw)
∟ species Asimina ×piedmontana (Piedmont pawpaw)

Morphology

The identification of Asimina ×piedmontana relies heavily on its floral characteristics and growth habit. The flowers undergo a distinctive color transition, emerging as a light green shade and gradually maturing into a deep burgundy hue. As they mature, the blossoms expand in size and open wider, reaching dimensions intermediate between its parental species.

Key morphological features include:

Growth Habit: It develops as a multi-stemmed shrub rather than a tree, flowering at a much shorter height than Asimina triloba.
Flowers: Medium-sized blossoms with dark burgundy petals at maturity, larger than those of Asimina parviflora but smaller than Asimina triloba.
Stems: Thin, woody branches without the thick, single trunk structure characteristic of mature common pawpaws.

Flowering season

Spring

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Name

Dec

Applications

This hybrid holds value primarily in ecological restoration and native plant landscaping. It supports local pollinators, including native bees and beetles, that are attracted to its dark, carrion-mimicking flowers. Additionally, it serves as a host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly (Protographium marcellus) caterpillars, which feed on the foliage of species in the genus Asimina.

Interesting facts

The hybrid's specific epithet, piedmontana, directly references the Piedmont region of the eastern United States, where the hybrid was first documented. Because the parent species, Asimina triloba and Asimina parviflora, have overlapping geographic ranges in this area, the hybrid occurs naturally where both parents reside in close proximity.