Papaya,United States price supplier

Scientific name: Carica papaya L.

Common names: Papaya and pawpaw (English and Spanish), malakor, loko, ma kuai thet (Thai), and du du (Vietnamese).

Family: Caricaceae

Origin: Lowlands of Central America and southern Mexico, possibly West Indies (Caribbean). Center of diversification southern Mexico to Nicaragua.

Relatives: Mountain papaya (Carica candamarcensis Hook.f.).

Distribution: Throughout the tropical and subtropical world; in protected culture in cool subtropical regions.

History: Papaya was taken to the Caribbean and Southeast Asia first and then spread to India, Oceania, and Africa.

Importance: Papaya is a major commercial crop throughout the tropical and subtropical world and exported widely to areas where production is not possible. Florida has a small commercial industry.

Invasive potential: Carica papaya has not been evaluated using the IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Floridas Natural Areas (IFAS Invasive Plant Working Group 2008).