Middletown is an ancestral pawpaw selection with a history dating back over a century. Identified by Ernest J. Downing in 1915, it represents the early phase of formal pawpaw evaluation in Ohio. It is defined by its small, uniform fruits and its stability in regional trials. While it lacks the massive size and intense tropical "custard" profile of the 21st-century Peterson or Lehman hybrids, it is a vital benchmark cultivar. It remains a fixture in the Kentucky State University (KSU) regional variety trials, providing baseline data for the species.
As one of the earliest documented seedlings, Middletown provides a window into the natural genetic pool before intensive cross-breeding. It was extensively used in the Pawpaw Regional Variety Trial (RVT), becoming a "standard" against which New-World hybrids are measured.
Fruit Metrics: Averaging 96 g per fruit, it is significantly smaller than industrial varieties which often exceed 200 g. This petite size makes it less viable for the commercial market but interesting for those studying species evolution. Productivity: It is a generous cropper in terms of numerical count, often producing 75+ fruits on a mature tree, though the total mass remains moderate due to individual fruit weight limitations.
Adaptability: Proven to be resilient across the Midwest and southern Appalachian zones. Ripening Window: It bridges the gap between mid and late season, typically maturing in the secondary harvest peak of September. Resilience: Maintains standard resistance to pests, though its aging DNA profile is rarely used in modern breeding for pest-specific traits.
Middletown is for the "heritage orchardist." If you are building a repository that tracks the development of the species from 1900 to the present, Middletown is a mandatory inclusion. For those seeking the "ultimate" eating experience, there are more modern, sweeter options available.
Middletown is a piece of living history. While its small fruit size restricts it to the academic and enthusiast world, its longevity and stability over 100+ years prove the inherent resilience of the Ohio pawpaw gene pool. It is a stable, consistent, and historic selection.
| Indicator | Cultivar Metric |
|---|---|
| Initial Discovery | Middletown, OH (1915) |
| Average Mass | ≈96 g (Petite Class) |
| Fruit Count | ≈75 Fruits / Tree (Mature) |
| Ripening window | Mid-September |
| Flavor Class | Traditional / Wild / Average |
| Academic Status | Mandatory RVT Benchmark |
| Cold Limit | USDA Zone 5 |