Am I being duped?

Asda are selling papaya vines and passion fruit (edulis and caerulea)

Do they have any sort of chance in the Welsh hills? I understand edulis is better tasting but which is hardier? Basically, any point me buying them?

 

I'm guessing passion flowers

Edulis, no chance outside in winter, might be ok in summer.
Caerulea is pretty hardy, survives probably a minus 5C if it is not prolonged frost, which you can help if you have a wall or fence which is sunny in mid winter.

 

I have neither and prolonged frost at times, so.. a big fat no then

Any ideas on papaya?

 

Only papaya I know is exclusively tropical.
Got some seedlings coming along.

Just as a foliage pot plant, not much chance of fruit even in a greenhouse.

 

Ah, it is rather lush looking though

 

Caerulea does fruit some years - but I'm not sure it's edible. It's ok in south Wales - I once stayed at a small hotel near Cwmbran where the wall was covered by a huge caerulea dripping with fruit!

 

Caerulea is relatively hardy. I get orange fruits on mine here in London most years. If you open the fruits up they have red seeds inside which are indeed edible - pleasantly crunchy though they don't taste of much. Nice added to some yoghurt. The birds and squirrels will eat them too.

I guess some people may be buying the edulis and the papaya as conservatory plants? Or treating them like tender bedding plants - something to enjoy for the summer and then chuck out, like a tray of pelargoniums. Seems a shame but of course means repeat business for Asda next year!

 

If I find either reduced I might chuck one in the polytunnel and see how it goes, thank you Caroline and Clare

 

Yes, papaya is a short-lived tropical plant that grows like a tree. I've never seen one living outside all year in the UK and I reckon it won't grow much below about 14C. The only related species that are at all slightly hardy are very obscure.

 

The nurseries are also selling Asimina triloba + it's hybrids as Papaya. Bit of mis-naming going on there, I think, @pete. Mine's outside, 2m tall now and has fruit on for the first time (self-fertile hybrid). It was expensive, though, so I suspect that wouldn't be what the supermarkets are selling!

 

Yes, agree with @noisette47 The Americans refer to a completely different species as pawpaw, which is what they say for 'papaya'. Their native pawpaw is related to the 'custard apple' fruit so is interesting (hardy) and edible itself, but probably not what Asda are selling and you're wanting to grow.

 

I've got a couple of Asimina plants, both from seed, only ever had fruit on two occasions, as not being a self sterile hybrid I need to cross pollinate.
In recent years both plants have flowered at different times.

I know the Yanks call it Paw Paw, but to me that in not Papaya.