Papaya carica

Family: Caricaceae

Common Name: Papaya, Pawpaw, Melon Tree

Origin: introduced from tropical America

Reference: Stuartxchange

• common in households all over the Philippines
• both the green unripe fruit and orange ripe fruit are eaten
• the green unripe fruit is cooked as a vegetable or pickled into a dish called “achara”
• the leaves are used for tenderizing meat
• it contains papain, which is found in commercial meat tenderizers
• the fruit is said to decrease libido and is a breakfast staple for priests!
• my mother introduced us to the unusual combination of papaya with powdered milk

trees and shrubs