The end of summer is the perfect time to pick fruit that’s just coming into season. That includes the pawpaw, Delaware’s only native fruit tree. The fourth annual Pawpaw Folk Festival at Alapocas Run State Park mixes equal parts fruit, art and science.
Wilmington State Parks Manager Liz Anroskaut said the event is a way to teach people about the plant, which is the largest fruit tree native to Delaware.
She said the park is home to a large population of pawpaw trees and Zebra Swallowtail butterflies, and the two have a special relationship. "The pawpaw tree is the host plant for the caterpillar for the Zebra Swallowtail and it’s the only plant the caterpillar will eat," she said.
The park has a large population of the fruit tree, but it’s also home to the Delaware Folk Art Collection. "We are going to have musicians. We are going to have demonstrators doing traditional carving like weavers and basket makers, duck carving."
There will be plenty of dedicated pawpaw activities, including fruit tastings and hiking tours. The festival is at Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington on Saturday.