Flower profile

Papaya

Carica papaya

Papaya (Carica papaya) is a shrub or small tree in the Caricaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly January–December across the U.S.

Not native to Hawaii

Papaya is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states.

2states where USDA records it

1,173HI sightings*

3,356U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Hawaii

Quick look

The papaya is the plant species Carica papaya, one of the 3 accepted species in the genus Carica of the family Caricaceae.
From Wikipedia's article Papaya, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Caricaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 2 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as not native to Hawaii. ^NatureServe
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as indeterminate. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 20 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 1,173 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #35 among the 118 flowers on our Hawaii list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (53 records)

There are only a handful of Hawaii flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. ^NatureServe
Hawaii: Not listed Not on Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Hawaii. ^{HAR 13-107}
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records papaya in 2 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Florida, Hawaii.

Hawaii counties with USDA records: Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Papaya a high shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and high moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.0 to 8.0 and winter lows down to 32 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: Low
Moisture use: High
Soil textures it is adapted to: medium, fine
Soil pH range: 5.0 to 8.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: 32 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 365
Annual precipitation range: 60 to 80 inches
Minimum root depth: 40 inches
Salinity tolerance: Medium
Fertility requirement: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Lifespan: Short
Active growth period: Year Round
Fruit or seed: Orange · Year Round to Year Round
Can be propagated by: container, seed
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for CAPA23. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Hawaii: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Introduced; Pacific Basin (excluding Hawaii): Introduced; Puerto Rico: Introduced; U.S. Virgin Islands: Introduced.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Papaya carica.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 34 counties across 4 states; the most are in Florida (16), Palau (14), Hawaii (3).

More Hawaii flowers

ʻōhiʻa lehua

Metrosideros polymorpha

Native

🌼 Blooms in HI: May–June

Beach naupaka

Scaevola taccada

Native

🌼 Blooms in HI: May–December

Pūkiawe

Leptecophylla tameiameiae

🌼 Few flowering records in HI

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CAPA23.
iNaturalist, Carica papaya: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Papaya (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Hawaii: Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
Hawaii: Hawaii noxious weed list (HAR 4-68).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Carica papaya (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Damien Wallace via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.