Name this fruit

[AsiaCS]

I found a few of these on the ground in my hard near the fence. This one was in the best shape. Whatever these are fell off my neighbors tree and into my yard. I would have gotten a picture of the tree too but they have a lemon tree right next to it so I couldn't get a good angle and it was cold so I wanted to get back inside. My hand is next to the fruit to give you an idea of size.

 

[Chuck]

I found a few of these on the ground in my hard near the fence. This one was in the best shape. Whatever these are fell off my neighbors tree and into my yard. I would have gotten a picture of the tree too but they have a lemon tree right next to it so I couldn't get a good angle and it was cold so I wanted to get back inside. My hand is next to the fruit to give you an idea of size.

In Texas I think what you have is called a Pawpaw, a type of payaya. Without being there I am not 100% sure though. If you have had any cold weather lately the immature fruit might have fallen. Take it inside and put it in a paper bag and see if it ripens.

 

[amelia88]

Interesting, it doesn't look like anything I've seen before! I have had pawpaw before but never saw the entire fruit - for some reason I always thought they were bigger!

 

[Chuck]

In Texas I think what you have is called a Pawpaw, a type of payaya. Without being there I am not 100% sure though. If you have had any cold weather lately the immature fruit might have fallen. Take it inside and put it in a paper bag and see if it ripens.

Real Papaya's are a kind of pear shaped, they have a little tip at the top and Pawpaw's are more cylindrical although they are basically the same thing

 

[AsiaCS]

@Chuck, I looked up some pictures to compare and I had seen one that was busted open. It did have white flesh, which is what I saw in the pictures. I've only seen that one from my bedroom window though. I'll go out and get the one I took a picture of if it still looks to be in good shape tomorrow. How do you know if they're ripe? Like, what level of squishiness am I looking for?

 

[Corzhens]

It looks to me like a type of gourd that we call KUNDOL. It is a fruit but considered vegetable which can be used as garnishing in beef soup. It can also be cooked with meat. That gourd is from a vine though so if that fruit fell from a tree (not a vine) then I guess I am wrong on my assumption. Maybe you have to slice it and get a taste. But better yet, why not ask your neighbor? That's the simplest way to know what it is.

 

[Chuck]

Pawpaws are ripe when slightly soft. Some change colors and some don't but they will all have a fairly strong distinctive fruity odor. Most of the ones I have seen have either orange or pink flesh but there are a lot of different cultivars out there so it is possible for one to have white flesh I guess.

 

[Troy]

Nice ring!
Can you post a pic of the fruit when cut?
You did say it was difficult to get a photo of the tree but maybe the leaves?

 

[AsiaCS]

@Troy, thank you!

The fruit is still hanging out in my hard. I'm not a cold weather creature so it took a lot of layering and working up my nerve to get the first picture. Lol. I'll load up on hot tea and bravery tomorrow and see what I can get. I'd rather do that than knock on my neighbors door just to awkwardly inquire about their fruit trees.

 

[Troy]

...just to awkwardly inquire about their fruit trees

I don't know, got to be better than asking to borrow a cup of sugar .

It's funny reading about it being cold, it was about 30C (86F) here at around 7am this morning. I spent all day yesterday wandering around a swamp photographing plants and I'm sun burnt! Even a cold winter morning for us is around 16C (60F) and everyone is rugged up. Of course the humidity is also up around 80% so that makes some people uncomfortable.

 

[AsiaCS]

That weather sounds nice. I lived in Guam for 3.5 years and it was in the 80s year round. /sigh

I'm still slacking on investigating the fruit. First, it was too cold for me to want to go look at it again. Now it's gotten a little warmer and I take long walks but don't stop in my backyard.

@Troy, I just noticed your avatar. Is that actually you next to that... giant Mario flower?

 

[Buggs81]

I have never seen that fruit before. It does look a lot like a papaya. I am wishing I was where Troy is. I can't believe it was 86 degrees there! It was 8 degrees here this morning with 86 percent humidity. It is so cold!!

 

[AsiaCS]

I have never seen that fruit before. It does look a lot like a papaya. I am wishing I was where Troy is. I can't believe it was 86 degrees there! It was 8 degrees here this morning with 86 percent humidity. It is so cold!!

I was looking at some Mexican papayas in the store yesterday and there is a similarity. I really need to go grab that fruit and exam the inside. Maybe get a picture.

Eight degrees?! Why did people decide to settle there?

 

[AsiaCS]

Plot twist: the fruit is a melon of some sort. I viciously attacked it and it smelled like cucumber. I've got a picture of the fruit split open and I've got a picture of one of its cohorts in the tree. The tree fruit is sort of hidden but if you follow the dead vines you can find it. Is it possible the vine wound its way up the tree?

 

[Chuck]

View attachment 10682 View attachment 10681 Plot twist: the fruit is a melon of some sort. I viciously attacked it and it smelled like cucumber. I've got a picture of the fruit split open and I've got a picture of one of its cohorts in the tree. The tree fruit is sort of hidden but if you follow the dead vines you can find it. Is it possible the vine wound its way up the tree?

Are these fruits growing on the tree or growing on a vine in the tree? You say the fruit smells like cucumber. A pawpaw or papaya has a fruity smell, a cuc doesn't. A pawpaw or papaya has dark seeds, a cuc has seeds exactly like the ones in the picture. A cuc has white flesh, a pawpaw and papaya have flesh that is everywhere from a very light pink to orange. I think what you have there is a cucumber. Taste it. In the same picture it shows a yellow fruit, exactly what an over ripe cuc looks like.