The pawpaw fruit, native to North America, is known for its distinctive flavor, often described as a blend of banana, mango, and pineapple. This large, custardy fruit grows on a small deciduous tree found primarily in the eastern United States and southern Ontario, Canada. As interest in this fruit grows, questions arise about its interactions with local wildlife, particularly deer.
Do Deer Eat Pawpaw Fruit?
Deer consume ripe pawpaw fruit. While not always a primary food source, the sweet, nutrient-rich fruit becomes highly attractive to deer, especially during early to mid-fall when it ripens and drops. Observations suggest deer favor pawpaws as much as persimmons, seeking out patches of producing trees and visiting them regularly. The fruit is rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron, offering nutritional benefits that support deer health.
Deer prioritize the fruit when preferred food sources are scarce or when pawpaws offer an easily accessible food supply. Trail camera observations confirm deer, including bucks, frequently visit pawpaw patches to consume fallen fruit. Despite some reports suggesting deer avoid pawpaw fruit, numerous accounts and direct evidence indicate ripe pawpaws are eaten by deer.
What Parts of the Pawpaw Plant Do Deer Consume?
Deer avoid consuming the leaves, twigs, and bark of pawpaw trees. These parts contain acetogenins, which impart a bitter taste and act as deterrents. This chemical defense makes the foliage unpalatable to deer, contributing to the plant’s deer-resistant reputation. The texture of the large, leathery leaves also contributes to their undesirability as browse.
While mature foliage is typically left untouched, young pawpaw saplings might occasionally be nibbled by curious deer. However, deer usually do not return for further browsing after an initial taste. This natural resistance means that pawpaw saplings often thrive in areas with high deer populations where other tree species are heavily browsed. Deer may cause damage to pawpaw trees through antler rubbing on the trunks, which is distinct from browsing.
Other Animals That Eat Pawpaw Fruit
Many other wild animals are drawn to the sweet, aromatic pawpaw fruit. Raccoons frequently forage for fallen fruit in pawpaw patches. Opossums also relish the ripe fruit, contributing to its dispersal. Squirrels and foxes also eat pawpaws, benefiting from the fruit’s nutritional content.
Various bird species feed on pawpaw fruit, spreading seeds across landscapes. Black bears readily consume pawpaws where present. These animals play a role in seed dispersal, as the large seeds often pass through their digestive systems intact, allowing new pawpaw trees to sprout elsewhere.
Protecting Your Pawpaw Plants
Protecting pawpaw plants from wildlife involves several strategies. Fencing provides an effective physical barrier against deer and other larger animals. An 8-foot fence is recommended to deter deer, or individual wire cages can protect young trees and saplings. For the fruit, netting can be draped over trees or individual fruits can be bagged to prevent consumption by smaller animals like raccoons and squirrels.
Repellents deter wildlife. Commercial deer repellents, or homemade mixtures like egg solids, garlic, or hot pepper, can be sprayed on plants. These require reapplication, especially after rain. Strategic planting, such as locating pawpaws closer to human activity, reduces visits from wildlife. Timely harvesting of ripe fruit minimizes the amount available for animals, ensuring more of the crop for personal use.