Pawpaws with Anya Stansell
From Plant People by New York Botanical Garden
April 13, 2026 · 24 min · Season 3 · Episode 6
About this episode
Anya Stansell discusses the Pawpaw, the largest native fruit in the U.S., and its historical significance.
In this episode, we’re joined by Anya Stansell, Western New York Small Fruits Specialist for Cornell Cooperative Extension, to discuss the largest fruit native to the United States—one that you may never have heard of. Sometimes called a Custard Apple, the Pawpaw grows throughout much of the eastern wilderness, and was long a staple in many Indigenous diets. So why is it so obscure to most of us today? Listen in as host Jennifer Bernstein, CEO and the William C. Steere Sr. President of the New York Botanical Garden, joins Anya to uncover the story of this unique fruit. UPDATE: While squash are botanically considered a fruit, the large ones are a result of domestication and human selection. Pawpaw is the largest wild fruit native to the United States, and squash is the largest native only if you include domesticated crops.
People in this episode
Host: Jennifer Bernstein
Guest: Anya Stansell
Topics covered
- Pawpaw
- native fruits
- Indigenous diets
- agriculture
- botany
Keywords
- Pawpaw
- Custard Apple
- Indigenous diets
- Western New York
- small fruits
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Cornell Cooperative Extension, New York Botanical Garden
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