Pawpaw, Asimina triloba, is a small understory tree very common in Appalachian forests. The fruit, prized by people and possums alike, has a custardy texture and flavor. The fruit, as well as the tree, is called Hoosier banana, at least in Indiana. Pawpaw is a member of the family Annonaceae, an important family of mainly tropical trees and shrubs. Pawpaw has many tropical characters, from its strange purple flowers to its broad, undissected leaves.
Here are some photos of the amazing flowers and young fruit of pawpaw. Click the pictures for really big images. The purple flower is especially glorious at full screen.
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Pawpaw seeds have been excavated at the Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Pennsylvania that date to 340 B.C. and 285 A.D. These seeds are among the 1.4 million plant remains recovered from this site that documents human use dating back 16,000 years.