Looks like paw paw to me. Break one stick off. Should be soft, snap easily, and have a green tint.
http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/pawpaw
PawPaw tree
Indegenous? Check. Valuable?? Dunno--to me the pap paw "banana" type fruits always kind of tasted like soap.
If I wasn't cussing before biting into one, I was after. Gave up on 'em after just a few tries.
Indiana Banana!!
That's cool - I had no idea you could make good wine from paw paws. I have a ton of paw paw trees but I don't like the fruit so I always let the critters eat it. I'm not a wine drinker either so the critters can still eat the paw paws but it's cool to learn something new on INGO almost every time I visit.Paw Paws make an excellent white wine, I'm always trying to beat the other forest creatures to them when they ripen.
Paw Paws make an excellent white wine, I'm always trying to beat the other forest creatures to them when they ripen.
I am going to take your statement quite seriously because your taste in Single Malt Scotch certainly doesn't suck!
We have a pretty good number of paw paw trees on the farm we lease but I have yet to see any fruit.