Asimina parviflora
Smallflower pawpaw
Synonyms
- Orchidocarpum parviflorum Michx.
- Porcelia parviflora (Michx.) Pers.
- Uvaria parviflora (Michx.) Torr. & A.Gray, nom. illeg. homonym. post.
On this page
Introduction
Smallflower pawpaw (Asimina parviflora) is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the southeastern United States, ranging from Virginia and the Carolinas west to Texas and south into Florida. It belongs to the Parviflora Clade. Its maroon flowers resemble those of A. triloba but are much smaller, a distinction reflected directly in the scientific and common names. (Flora of North America, 1997; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2026).
The species is one parent of two accepted named hybrids: A. × peninsularis with A. reticulata in Florida and A. × piedmontana with A. triloba in the southeastern Piedmont and adjacent regions.
Horticultural and Agricultural Uses
Smallflower pawpaw is occasionally available from native-plant nurseries. In Florida horticulture it is treated as a small tree for moist sites, grown in part sun and propagated from seed. Its fruits are edible but small, and there is no significant commercial fruit industry based on the species. (Florida Native Plant Society, 2026).
Conservation Concerns
The species is not federally listed and has a broad southeastern range. NatureServe assigns a global rank of G5, but that rank dates to 1985 and is explicitly flagged as needing review. State-level rarity varies near the edges of the range. The available evidence does not support treating A. parviflora as globally threatened, but local populations remain dependent on the persistence of suitable woodland and floodplain habitats. (NatureServe, 2026).
Additional Information
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Plants of the World Online: Plants of the World Online (opens in a new tab) - Accepted taxon and distribution.
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NatureServe Explorer: NatureServe Explorer (opens in a new tab) - Conservation rank and state distribution.
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Florida Native Plant Society: Florida Native Plant Society (opens in a new tab) - Regional horticultural and ecological information.
References and Further Reading
Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 1997. Asimina. Flora of North America North of Mexico, vol. 3. Link (opens in a new tab)
Florida Native Plant Society. 2026. Asimina parviflora plant account. Link (opens in a new tab)
NatureServe. 2026. Asimina parviflora. NatureServe Explorer. Link (opens in a new tab)
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Asimina parviflora. Plants of the World Online. Link (opens in a new tab)