Carica papaya

Papaya or Carica papaya otherwise known as Mam'o or Melon Tree is one of the most popular trees cultivated for its tropical fruits. It grows up to 10 m tall with a non-woody, hollow bole of up to 30 cm in diameter. The fruit is consumed raw or cooked. It can be eaten fresh when ripe or as vegetable , processed, preserved, or dried. The seeds are used as spice;the male flowers and young leaves are also edible when cooked. Papaya is also valued for its medicinal uses. It is a source of the enzyme papain which is a digestive stimulant, and can be used in wounds. The fruit is used to treat diabetes, hypertension, warts, diarrhoea, high blood pressure, and painful womb. The leaves are applied externally to wounds to aid in the healing process. It is cooked and used against malaria, irregular bowel movement in children, and threadworms and roundworms. Latex obtained from the trunk is used in wounds as well, and in gums to relieve toothache. Young leaves are used as mulch.

Carica papaya is an evergreen Tree growing to 8 m by 4 m at a fast rate.
It is hardy to zone 10 and is frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Bees, Moths, Wind. The plant is not self-fertile.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light , medium and heavy soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant is not wind tolerant.

Papaya succeeds in tropical and subtropical areas, where it can be found between 32°N and S. It produces best at elevations below 900 metres, though it can also succeed as high as 2,100 metres near the equator. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 21 - 30°c, but can tolerate 12 - 44°c. It can be killed by temperatures of -1°c or lower. It prefers a climate with well distributed rainfall and a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 2,500mm, but tolerates 1,000 - 3,000mm. Low temperatures cause smaller fruit size and low quality. Prefers a sunny position in a deep, humus- rich soil. Requires a well-drained, well-aerated soil, trees can die within a few days if the soil becomes waterlogged. Grows best in a position sheltered from strong winds. Plants produce masses of easily damaged feeding roots near the surface and so are best hand weeded when young and given a good organic mulch as they grow. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 4.5 - 8. A very productive plant, it can start to crop when only 6 months old and can produce fruit all year round. Yields of between 22 - 56 tonnes/ha of fresh fruit are obtained in Hawaii and yields up to 80 tones/ha have been reported. The yields are highest in the second and third year and they then decline rapidly. The productive life of a tree is very short, yields have declined sharply by the time it is four years old. There are many named varieties. Individual plants can bear only male flowers, only female flowers or hermaphrodite flowers. One male plant will be enough to fertilize 6 or more females. Hand pollinated fruits ripen after about 150 - 240 days.