Carica papaya

Family. Cariсасеае.

Where does it grow? Tropical America.

What does it look like? The papaya is a large, evergreen, herbaceous plant that, as it ages, develops a green or light brown trunk bearing remnants of old leaves. The leaves are green, deeply dissected, up to 60 cm in diameter, appear from a single growing point at the top of the stem, spirally on long petioles and form a lush crown. Flowers with 5 thick, waxy petals, have a light pleasant smell, cream color, collected in inflorescences - panicles up to 1.5 m long, male and female. Papaya is an amazing plant that can change sex depending on environmental conditions. After flowering, it forms clusters of oval fruits up to 50 cm long, green in color, which turn orange when ripe.

Height. Reaches 3 m in indoor culture, develops very quickly.

Growing

Care 

Growing papaya at home is not difficult if you have the space for such an impressive plant. In warmer months, it is better to take it out into the fresh air, placing it in the shade from the sun's rays and under protection from strong gusts of wind and rain.

Diseases and pests

Excess moisture can kill a plant within a few days.

In dry and warm air of living spaces, the tree may be attacked by spider mites and aphids.

Flowering time 

Summer, but in indoor conditions it is difficult to achieve flowering.

Temperature conditions

Keep warm all year round at normal room temperature. During the winter months, do not expose the plant to temperatures below 5°C.

Lighting

Brightly lit locations with direct sunlight in the morning and evening hours. Light shading is necessary on hot summer days. In autumn and winter, maximum possible lighting.

Soil

Loose and well-permeable soil, rich in organic matter. The optimal pH ranges from 5.5 to 6.7. A mixture of equal parts of peat, leaf humus and coarse sand is suitable. 

Feeding

Feed the plant every 2 weeks from the beginning of growth until autumn. In the cold season, fertilizing can be done monthly, diluting the fertilizer to half the recommended dose.

Air humidity

Use a room humidifier if the indoor air becomes too dry. Place the plant away from door and window openings - papaya does not like drafts. 

Soil moisture

Abundant watering during the growing season; in the fall, the frequency of watering is slightly reduced depending on the temperature. Excess moisture accumulated in the pan should be drained immediately. 

Transplant

Papaya is replanted in the spring. For large tub plants, the replanting of which is difficult, the top layer of soil is replaced with fresh one annually. 

Reproduction

Seeds are planted in the spring, after soaking them in warm water for a day or scalding them with boiling water. Seedlings germinate within 3 - 5 weeks at a temperature of about 22 - 25 ° C. Rooting of cuttings during the summer, grafting. 

Note

Papaya fruits are eaten fresh, in the form of juices and jams, or dried.