The papaya, commonly known in Australia as the pawpaw, is an attractive, easy-to-grow and fast-maturing tropical tree that will grow to a manageable size of 3–4m.
Some call the red-fleshed fruits papaya and the yellow ones pawpaw, but I think most see them as one and the same — though the yellow-fleshed pawpaw has a much stronger flavour and scent.
The indigenous people of Central America ate papayas and used them medicinally. In the 1500s and 1600s, Spanish and Portuguese colonisers took the seeds to other tropical areas including Hawaii, the Philippines, India and, of course, Australia.
Besides its lush, tropical foliage and delicious fruit, papaya is good for you. A medium-sized fruit contains more
