Bloomipedia
Small-flower pawpaw (Asimina parviflora)
Photo: Nonbinary-Naturalist via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Small-flower pawpaw

Asimina parviflora

Small-flower pawpaw (Asimina parviflora) is a shrub or small tree in the Annonaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–April across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Small-flower pawpaw is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–April.

10states where USDA records it
2Bloomipedia state lists include it
5,305U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alabama, Georgia

Quick look

Asimina parviflora, the smallflower pawpaw, is a small to medium shrub in the custard apple family.

  • It belongs to the Annonaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 10 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Georgia and Alabama. NatureServe
  • In Georgia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
  • In Alabama, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,809 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #37 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 979 research-grade sightings of it in Alabama, ranking #50 among the 167 flowers on our Alabama list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (649 records)
Bloom time in the 2 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
GeorgiaNativeMarch–April1,809
AlabamaNativeMarch–April979

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: S5, secure in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AR (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

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

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Fruits are sweet and can be used raw or cooked” NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 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 small-flower pawpaw in 10 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia.

Georgia counties with USDA records: Baker, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Bulloch, Camden, Carroll, Charlton, Clarke, Cobb, Coffee, Colquitt, DeKalb, Dougherty, Early, Effingham, Elbert, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Glascock, Greene, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Lanier, Lee, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, Lumpkin, Madison, McIntosh, Meriwether, Mitchell, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Pike, Putnam, Quitman, Randolph, Richmond, Screven, Stephens, Sumter, Talbot, Tattnall, Taylor, Telfair, Upson, Wilcox, Worth.

Alabama counties with USDA records: Autauga, Baldwin, Bibb, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Franklin, Geneva, Greene, Hale, Henry, Houston, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marion, Mobile, Monroe, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Wilcox, Winston.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 288 counties across 10 states; the most are in Georgia (62), Alabama (48), Florida (44).

Other Asimina on Bloomipedia (1): Netted pawpaw.

More Georgia flowers

American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in GA: June–August
American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

American beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in GA: June–July
Little brown jugs (Asarum arifolium)

Little brown jugs

Asarum arifolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in GA: March–May

Sources