Kentucky Champion

A Large and Vigorous Time-Tested Pawpaw Tree with Very Early Fruit 

Strengths

• Vigorous, disease resistant

• One of the earliest bearing trees

• Good mango-flavor

• Large durable fruit (230+ gram)

• Seed ratio 5.5% by weight

• Excellent appearance for landscaping

• Suitable for shorter growing seasons

Weaknesses

• Co-pollination is limited to other earlier varieties like Overleese and NC1

• Pollination compatibility can limit productivity

• Short shelf-life

• Fruit not suitable for mail-order

Fruit Description

Kentucky Champion is an early-season pawpaw tree that produces large superior mango-flavored fruits averaging more than 230 grams.  It has been reported to be a favorite at a farmer's market in central Kentucky.  The fruit is elongated with durable skin and the seed-ratio is about 5.5%.  Unfortunately the shelf-life is short.  It is not suitable for shipping fresh, though it freezes quite well. Overall, the flavor is superior to the average cultivar variety, and it has been appealing to most people that try a pawpaw fruit for the first time.  KY Champion has been especially appealing to the Europeans because of its landscaping appearance combined with early ripening and good flavor.

 Pollination and Fruit Bearing

The variety is very early to bloom and to bear fruit.  Overleese has been identified as a reliable co-pollinator.  NC1 is effective for pollination most of the time.  Later-bearing pawpaw varieties are ineffective for pollination.  The productivity of the tree is still under evaluation (as of 2023).  A mature KY Champion tree produced over 40 lbs (18 kg) in 2022. (reference attached histogram graph). 

Historical Background 

Woody Walker discovered the Kentucky Champion (size) tree on the grounds of the "Old Walker Orchard" near Water Street in Richmond, KY in 2009.  The orchard was originally owned by J. Stone Walker (no relation), a financier, and politician in the mid-to-late 1800s.  His properties along with an orchard operation, were in the Record of Deeds at the Madison County Courthouse.

Richmond Climax newspaper archives stored in the EKU Library verified that there was a farmer's market nearby on Water Street that operated in the late 1800s.  Also, pawpaw fruit was offered at Ellis Grocery on Main Street. 

The champion-tree property owner retold the history when he showed Woody Walker the tree in 2009. He lived on the site from the 1950s until he died after year 2010.  According to him the property was called the "Old Walker Orchard" by the locals. 

According to local folklore, the orchard once operated in the late 1800s with an assortment of apples, pears, plums, pawpaw and black walnut. The original orchard property was subdivided for housing in the early 1900s.  When the champion-tree owner purchased his property (in the early 1950s) -- he noted greengage plums at the location along with pawpaw and black walnut.  His account of the operation in the neighborhood agreed with the orchard property historical records.  

According to him, the neighborhood experienced root-sucker pawpaw trees that emerged periodically, grew quite large (for pawpaw), and then died starting in the early 1900s (after the orchard ceased to operate).  This was explained to him by the previous property-owner, and a large pawpaw tree was noted before 1950 on the property.   It died, and another emerged and grew large then died.  Then the champion tree emerged in approximately 1990 in the yard.  It was recorded in the KY Champion Tree Registry in 2010 (ref. certificate below),  and it finally came down in 2020 after a long period of decline from severe ice storm injuries.

In conclusion the fruit offered from this pawpaw variety is probably the same fruit that was once tasted in the late 1800s.  This could perhaps be the oldest pawpaw tree in recorded history -- going back to the mid-to-late 1800s.

*Additional Footnote*

Forest Ranger, Kent Slusher, measured the champion tree for the record book.  

He said pawpaws like the champion tree, with larger, orange-mango flesh fruits are only found in two locations in central Kentucky:

- along Otter Creek between Richmond and Fort Boonesboro in Madison County

- along Station Camp Creek in Estill County.

Grafted Champion trees courtesy of Hans Kluijt,  Nijverdal, Overijssel (provincie) Netherland, growing zone 7 

Ripened Champion fruit courtesy of Georgi Goshev in the Black Sea area of Bulgaria.