Why are male papayas beheaded?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
July 3, 2003
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading: Click here.
The papaya (Carica papaya Linnaeus) is an odd, short-lived, somewhat succulent tree. It has a single strong leader (stem) and does not branch unless this trunk is damaged. The crown consists of large palmately-lobed leaves. Flowers and fruit are borne on peduncles (flower stems) arising from the trunk. (Hortus Third, Staff of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium, 1976)
Papayas produce a latex found throughout the plant except in the ripe fruit. The latex contains protein-breaking enzymes which serve to discourage herbivores. Because of the latex, unripe papayas should not be eaten.
Papaya fruit are large and, of course, only borne on female trees. Depending on the variety, papayas can be up to melon-sized--4.5 kilograms (10 pounds) and 38 centimeters (15 inches) long. The fruit has a central hollow filled with spherical black seeds. Papaya fruit are classified as berries.
Papayas are dioecious, male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. Male flowers are in racemes up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) long. Female flowers usually grow singly on short peduncles. But sometimes male flowers are singles on short stems and sometimes male plants start producing female flowers or even "perfect" flowers, those with both stamens and an ovary.
Hot weather in summer may cause the sex change, but the plant will often revert to male when weather cools. But judicious pruning can encourage a male to become female. The change to female can frequently be made permanent by 'beheading' the male tree and allowing new trunks to grow from the stump. ("Papaya", California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc, 1997)
Around the World with S/Y Dream is a website about a group of young people sailing around the world. There is a great photograph of papaya trees in New Caledonia. To view the photograph, click on the link:
http://www.dream.qwerty.dk/images/NCAL-TON/pages/Papaya.htm
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading:
What is papain? Plants that Changed History - July 1, 2003
What is guanabana? Herbal Folklore - January 26, 2004
What is a mango? Weird Plants - January 8, 2004
How are breadfruit propagated? Weird Plants - August 14, 2003
What is a toddy? What's in a Name? - January 2, 2004
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