Hi Anissa, Paw Paws are easy to grow. The seeds need the moist stratification to germinate. They may have a low germination rate if they are not stored moist over the winter. Were the seed you received dry or moist?

I have sent you an email.

Mimi

Well, I was going to send you an email on paw paw growing. But you don't have email enabled.

I've grown these several times from seed. They absolutely need cold WET stratification, and even then, the germination rate may be low. Some times it's great and some bad. They grow a deep taproot very early. A plant 6" tall may have a root 18" long. Do not keep in a pot more than you have to. Fairly slow growers after planting also. My largest at 3 years is about 4' tall.

George

Just to back up the above posts, keeping seeds cold but dry (e.g. storing them in the fridge) does not constitute stratification - they need moisture as well as cold.

I used a vice grip to hold the pawpaw seed and a hand sander to wear a hole through the hard seed coat before cold stratification. I had 100% germination within 30 days of completing cold treatment, and several seeds began root development while in the fridge.

kms4me

This is interesting just ordered some seeds will see what happens.

Last fall I got about 30 seeds in trade, cleaned and apparently dried, though I don't know how dry. Planted some immediately. Kept the rest in a cold dry room over winter.

May 1, learned they need damp stratification so put in baggie in fridge with damp sphagnum moss.

May 26, saw some light mold, took them out, washed them, put back in fridge dry. Put some in water and some in hydrogen peroxide, put in a warm place in the dark.

June 1, nothing happening, so peeled off a few seed coats, back into the warm place.

June 8, still no sign of germination, so washed them, kept one under wet paper towel and put other in vinegar to simulate digestion, and put back in fridge.

No sign of germination on any of them, not even the ones planted last fall.