Pawpaws: The sweetest secret in Pennsylvania’s forests with Dr. Eric Burkhart

Here’s a trivia question for you. What is the largest edible fruit tree native to North America? It’s not the persimmon. Or the wild apple. And it’s not the cherry tree. It’s a little-known, misunderstood tree that’s fruit was consumed by Native Americans, European settlers and colonists for hundreds of years before all-but-disappearing from American consciousness. It’s the pawpaw tree which produces the pawpaw fruit. The greenish-yellow, kidney-shaped fruits ripen in late summer to early fall. The fruit has a creamy, custard-like texture and a flavor reminiscent of banana, mango and vanilla. It’s been called the “poor-man’s banana” and the “Appalachian banana.”After generations in the dark, the pawpaw has been making a resurgence in recent years. Breweries have begun making beer out of the fruit. You can find pawpaws used in ice cream. And there’s even a festival hosted by Horn Farm Center in York County that celebrates the tree and fruit every year in September.But, what’s the reason for this revival? Is it because people are learning more about native plants? Is it that the tree has increased its growing range? Is it that more people are spending time outdoors and are now discovering the forgotten fruit? While this episode will address these questions, it’ll also take an in-depth look at the pawpaw. The tree, the fruit and much more. On this episode, I speak with Dr. Eric Burkhart. Eric is a botanist, ethnobotanist, and agroforester as well as a professor at Penn State University. Be sure to support our 2026 sponsors:Keystone Trails AssociationPurple Lizard MapsPennsylvania Parks and Forests FoundationSisters' SunflowersDiscover Clarion CountyGo Laurel Highlands Support the showVisit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected. Hosting, production and editing: Christian AlexandersenMusic: Jon SauerGraphics: Matt Davis