# Papaya (*Carica papaya*) Papayas are sweet, juicy fruits that grow on tall trees. They have a bright orange color inside and are yummy to eat! Papayas can help keep your tummy happy and healthy. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 8 - **Habitat:** Tropical areas - **Also known as:** Pawpaw ![Papaya](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Carica_papaya_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-029.jpg&width=800) Photo: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carica_papaya_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-029.jpg) ## Appearance The Papaya has a tall, slender, unbranched trunk topped with a crown of large, deeply lobed, palm-like leaves. Its oval fruits hang directly from the trunk, ripening from green to yellow-orange, sometimes with a red blush. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Brassicales - **Family:** Caricaceae - **Genus:** Carica ## Interesting facts - Ancient Mayans revered papaya as a 'tree of life' for its healing properties. - Papaya seeds are edible and taste like a peppery radish! - The Papaya is not actually a tree, but a giant herb with a soft, hollow stem! - Unripe papaya is used as a vegetable in savory dishes, not just as a sweet fruit. ## Special abilities - **Healing Helper:** Papaya has an enzyme called papain that helps it digest insects and also break down proteins. - **Fruit Factory:** Papaya plants can produce fruit continuously for many years once they start, providing a steady food source. - **Rapid Grower:** Papayas grow incredibly fast, quickly reaching fruit-bearing size to outcompete other plants. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-1000 cm - **Spread:** 200-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Year-round - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** [Papaya](https://www.snappit.app/explore/papaya) (*Carica papaya*) — Microbes in the soil support its growth. - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees visit the flowers to collect nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** Large flying fox (*Pteropus vampyrus*) — Fruit bats eat ripe papaya fruits and disperse seeds. - **Eats:** Oriental fruit fly (*Bactrocera dorsalis*) — Larvae infest and consume the fruit pulp. ## Traits - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Rainforest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rainforest): This habitat trait refers to species found in tropical rainforests, characterized by high annual rainfall, high biodiversity, and dense tree cover. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash fruits before eating them to keep them clean. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Papaya? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Papaya? 300-1000 cm ### How wide does Papaya spread? 200-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on Papaya? 2-3 cm ### When does Papaya bloom? Year-round ### Is Papaya edible? Yes ### Is Papaya toxic? None ### What is Papaya's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Flamingo Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/flamingo-gardens) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Lahaina Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lahaina-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Fruit and Spice Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fruit-and-spice-park) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hoomaluhia-botanical-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Kawai Nui Marsh](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kawai-nui-marsh) — Hawaii, US · Park - [Ke'anae Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/keanae-arboretum) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Papaya](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/papaya) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Papaya: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/papaya)