My Maridol has a first flower bud.

[Stan]

The whole plant is about 30" in ~ three years. I have my doubts it will fruit,but this is the first time I ever had a Papaya live past a December,let alone this group live into their third summer. 10" of Papaya height a year means its going to be awhile before I see it look like something.
Still,I have impressed myself since growing that here was impossible pre 1990,maybe pre2000.
I do understand that for most of the hot summer USA,its not so big a deal!

 

[Dypsisdean]

 

[Stan]

It took me a few shots to get right...

 

[Stan]

Ok, Those fell off in the cool spring weather. But in July it had grown and re flowered. A few days ago I saw something I never thought would happen- I have small Papaya fruit on the now 4' tree.
This plants and plants are seed to now grown outdoors. Maridols.

 

[Dypsisdean]

Good Job Stan - goes to show that sometimes you shouldn't listen to what you hear. If nobody ever pushed the envelope think of what we would never have found out about growing tropicals outside the tropics.

 

[Stan]

Thanks Dean. California's climate has changed much since I was kid. I tried these plants- both Solo and Maridols in the 80's,90's and so forth..never got past November let alone 4 years.

 

[Stan]

Here it is ...bay area grown from seed. Its going to be a crossed finger chances at it making it ripe.