Can you identify this tree

[WV Sawmiller]

   Okay, heard about them forever but how many of you have ever seen them. Let's see who can guess what it is first.


 
The leaves are about 9-10 inches long and up to 4-5 inches wide.


 
Maybe a picture of the fruit will help.

[Magicman]

Way down yonder in the Pawpaw patch.   ;D

[WV Sawmiller]

    Nailed it. Well done Lynn. I never saw them till I moved up here. Some folks call them WV bananas as taste is similar.

[Magicman]

I have many along the shady creek, and yes, they taste like banana.   ;)

[JohnW]

Funny, we have paw paws in Northern Indiana, where I grew up, but I've never seen ay down here in Southern Indiana, where I live now.

[DelawhereJoe]

At some point I plan to run up to my brothers house over in Maryland and get some seedlings to transplant here at my house. Perhaps some hickory too.

[Magicman]

I have never seen them growing anywhere but in the shade.

[OneWithWood]

I have many paw paw trees on my property here in southern Indiana.  Paw Paws are shade loving trees and can keep oaks from sprouting by blanketing the floor of the forest and blocking out the sun.  When the fruit is ripe on the larger trees you need to be standing under the tree if you want to get any.  The animals are on the bananas before the fruit hits the ground 

[WDH]

I have been there, too.