🥭 Tollgate - A Highly Productive Northern Selection with Exceptional Dessert Quality

Variety Description

Summary

Tollgate is a premier heritage selection cultivated by Corwin Davis in Michigan. It is specifically balanced for the home orchardist who demands both massive fruit size (up to 340g) and a sophisticated, multi-layered flavor profile. Often described as having a "berry-citrus" finish that cuts through the traditional pawpaw sweetness, it achieved a prestigious 2nd place for flavor at the 2021 Ohio Pawpaw Festival. Its thick skin provides better-than-average protection against bruising, while its exceptionally high pulp yield (up to 96%) makes it a favorite for culinary processing. For growers in northern latitudes, it remains a gold-standard choice for late-autumn harvests.

Foundations and Pedigree

Named after Davis’s famous Tollgate Gardens, this variety has been a staple in germplasm collections for decades. It is featured extensively in research by KSU and documented in Andrew Moore’s definitive work, "Pawpaw: In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit."

Fruit Specifications: The Gourmet Heavyweight

Physical Attributes: Fruits are substantial, often borne in pairs or small clusters. The thick skin matures to a soft cream-yellow. Palette: A complex sugar profile; testers often report clear notes of wild strawberry and pineapple alongside the standard banana base. Texture: juicy and melting, avoiding any grittiness. Recovery: Notable for its small seeds, giving the consumer a high volume of useable pulp per fruit.

Orchard Integrity

Efficiency: Tollgate is a vigorous, spreading tree that establishes quickly. It typically begins bearing 3–5 years after grafting and maintain stable, high yields of 60–70 fruits annually. Growth Habit: Rapid growth rate; forms a broad, attractive canopy that serves well as an ornamental landscape specimen.

Management and Logistics

Maturity Timing: In its native Michigan, it is one of the final varieties to reach peak ripeness in mid-October. Pollination Strategy: Requires cross-pollination with mid-to-late season varieties such as Sunflower or Shenandoah to ensure maximum fruit set.

Environmental Adaptation

Resilient in the face of harsh winters (USDA 5–9). While fully hardy as an adult, young seedlings benefit from partial shade and consistent mulching to protect their shallow root systems during the first two summers.

Conclusion

Tollgate is a masterpiece of Michigan fruit selection. It combines the heavy yields of a commercial-grade tree with the nuanced, award-winning flavor desired by gourmet enthusiasts. Its reliability in colder zones and its exceptional pulp recovery make it an indispensable component of any serious pawpaw collection. Whether eaten fresh from the tree or processed into high-end desserts, Tollgate consistently delivers a world-class experience.