Difference between Papaya and Pawpaw

Papaya and pawpaw both are tropical juicy fruits that look alike, so people often confuse these fruits with each other. Despite sharing some feature, they are different from each other in terms of their shape, size, taste etc. Let us see how they differ from each other!

Papaya:

Papaya is an oval-shaped tropical fruit that looks like a rugby ball. It is sweet in taste and orange to reddish in colour. It is mostly grown in places with tropical climatic conditions as under such conditions it produces a large number of fruits. Its flesh is orange to red in colour and the fruit can be upto 18 inches long when fully mature. A papaya tree can grow to a height of 33 feet.

It is harvested throughout the year but the production is high during autumn and spring. It can be ripened at room temperature and can be eaten once it is yellow and slightly soft to touch. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. The papaya species called Carica papaya is mostly grown in the West Indies, Hawaii, South America, India etc.

Pawpaw:

Pawpaw is a tropical fruit which is yellow or green in colour and grown in many parts of the world. One can see it in supermarkets and open-air markets. The pawpaw fruit considered as an oblong-shaped berry that can grow up to 6 inches in length. It has yellow flesh and tastes mellow like banana. It can be ripened at room temperature like papaya.

The pawpaw plants are not true trees. They are considered shrubs or small trees that can grow upto a height of 7 feet. They produce a large number of fruits when grown in temperate, hilly terrain. It is rich in nutrients so it is good for young ones and other people with nutritional deficiencies. Furthermore, it promotes the breakdown of gluten and helps cure indigestion.

Based on the above information, some of the key differences between pawpaw and papaya are as follows: