Asimina reticulata Shuttlew. ex Chapm. — Netted pawpaw

Introduction

Netted pawpaw (Asimina reticulata) is a deciduous shrub of central and southern Florida, especially flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, and open disturbed sandy sites. It belongs to the Parviflora Clade. Young foliage is characteristically orange-hairy, and the species usually bears large white to yellow-white flowers. (Flora of North America, 1997).

Natural hybridization is well documented around A. reticulata. It is a parent of the accepted hybrids A. × bethanyensis, A. × oboreticulata, and A. × peninsularis, and putative natural hybrids with A. pulchella have also been reported. (Norman, 2003; DeLaney, 2010).

Horticultural and Agricultural Uses

Netted pawpaw has limited native-plant horticultural use. The Florida Native Plant Society lists it for sandy soils in full sun to part sun but notes that its long taproot makes establishment and transplanting difficult. Seed propagation and careful nursery handling are preferable to root disturbance. Its fruit is edible, although the species is not cultivated commercially for fruit. (Florida Native Plant Society, 2026).

Conservation Concerns

The species is not federally listed and remains locally common in parts of central Florida. NatureServe currently assigns it G4 (Apparently Secure), although the underlying status review is old enough that caution is warranted. Reproductive ecology may nevertheless be sensitive to habitat condition. Barton and Menges (2018) found higher flower, fruit, and seed output in recently burned flatwoods and open pasture, and demonstrated that fruit production depended on pollination and benefited from outcrossing. Their results support maintaining open habitat structure, including appropriate fire management, where conservation of reproductive populations is a goal.

Additional Information

Plants of the World Online: Plants of the World Online (opens in a new tab) - Accepted taxon and Florida distribution.
NatureServe Explorer: NatureServe Explorer (opens in a new tab) - Conservation rank and occurrence information.
Florida Native Plant Society: Florida Native Plant Society (opens in a new tab) - Regional ecology and horticulture.
Castanea: Castanea (opens in a new tab) - Fire, pollination, and reproductive ecology study.

References and Further Reading

Barton, L.K. & Menges, E.S. 2018. Effects of fire and pollinator visitation on the reproductive success of Asimina reticulata (Annonaceae), the netted pawpaw. Castanea 83: 323-333. DOI: 10.2179/18-170 (opens in a new tab).

Norman, E.M. 2003. Reproductive biology of Deeringothamnus rugelii and D. pulchellus (Annonaceae). Taxon 52: 547-555. DOI: 10.2307/3647453 (opens in a new tab).

Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 1997. Asimina. Flora of North America North of Mexico, vol. 3. Link (opens in a new tab)

NatureServe. 2026. Asimina reticulata. NatureServe Explorer. Link (opens in a new tab)

Florida Native Plant Society. 2026. Asimina reticulata plant account. Link (opens in a new tab)