Can you forage for pawpaws? Here’s what laws say about picking ‘Missouri bananas’

Whatever you call them — the Missouri banana, the American custard apple — we’re in the thick of pawpaw season .

In September and October, this sweet fruit ripens in eastern Kansas and all over Missouri. Humans and wildlife alike feast on the fruit, with a taste between a banana and a pineapple and a custard-like texture.

The fruit tree likely got its name from early Europeans in North America, who mistook the pawpaw for the unrelated but similar-looking papaya, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. The plant is found all over the eastern and central United States.

The pawpaw is genetically related to tropical fruits around the world, such as the ylang-ylang of southeast Asia and the cherimoya of South America.

Here’s your guide to finding and enjoying the Missouri state fruit tree .

Where is it legal to pick pawpaws?

If you don’t have a pawpaw tree on your property, you might need to find a legal foraging spot.

Before foraging on private land, you should ask permission from the owner. State parks in Missouri and in Kansas and conservation areas in Missouri allow people to forage for their own personal use on their land. For city and county parks, foraging laws vary by jurisdiction.

Where can I find them?

When you see a stream, keep your eyes peeled for the Missouri banana. The pawpaw tree tends to grow in groups along creeks, under the shade of larger trees. Each can reach up to 30 feet tall.

A giveaway that you have a pawpaw tree is finding a green fruit under a 15- to 30-foot tall tree. Gather the fruit from the ground or shake the tree to knock off the ripe fruits.

If you need a place to start, the Falling Fruit website has a crowdsourced list of foraging locations, including some in the Kansas City area. Go to fallingfruit.org and sort by pawpaws.

Some Kansas City area parks with pawpaws include Indian Creek Trail, George E. Kessler Park on Cliff Drive, White Alloe Creek Conservation Area and Hidden Valley Park.

Where can I buy them?

If you’re not up to foraging, there are places to buy pawpaws in Missouri and Kansas. Missouri foragers are allowed to sell pawpaws collected on private property, a Department of Conservation Protection Division employee confirmed. You can scout out sellers at local farmers markets or on Facebook.

Farmers don’t typically grow pawpaws because the raw fruit spoils easily and is difficult to ship, according to the Kansas State University Extension Office. Peel and strain out the seeds to use the pawpaw fruit in recipes like cheesecake, ice cream or sweet bread.

Have more questions about nature in Missouri and Kansas? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com .