This cultivar was selected in the wild by W. B. Ward in Rushville, Indiana, in 1950. Overleese is the parent of many other improved cultivars, including Peterson’s Shenandoah. Won Best Fruit at the Ohio Pawpaw Festival in 2011. It is a favorite among home gardeners and is one of the best varieties for shipping.
The Fruit
Fruit Large, oval to round. Few seeds, but large.
Fruit Quality Very good.
Fruit’s skin color when ripe greenish-yellow. Thicker skin and excellent for shipping.
Fruit Flavor Excellent. When skin turns dark, it has a very rich butterscotch flavor with melon aftertaste.
Fruit texture Excellent, melting.
Flesh color yellow.
Fruit size medium to large. Average 6oz. Some fruits can reach 12oz.
Production moderate productivity. 55 fruits per tree.
Additional information
Botanical name Asimina triloba ‘Overleese’
Aroma fruity.
Grafted Yes. On faster growing, specialty rootstock.
Ripening season mid-season. On average, mid-September. First week of October in Zone 5.
Mature Height 15-20ft.
Mature Width 15-20ft.
Pollination requirements Plant 2 or more different varieties 8-15ft. apart.
Yield Ultimately, about 21lbs. or more of fruit per tree.
Disease / Insect No major problems with pests or disease
Growth rate Moderate.
