Went turkey hunting this morning and found something that I believe I've seen before but maybe never really took a good look at.  It's odd enough that I had to take a couple pictures.

Can any of you help me identify it?

Here is a picture from about 15 feet away.

 

Yup, just a li'l old tree.  But lets look closer...

 

Ain't they odd?  Any idea what it is?

Here's another one.

 

They almost look like carved wood to me.

And one more just because it's there...

 

Hey, didn't even notice until just now but there is a small flower there that is bright green.  They must change color after a while or somethin'.

Huh,  some type of dogwood maybe?

FYI, for background, this is in a river bottom area of the Platte River in northwest MO.  The predominate species in this area are cottonwoods and silver maples with a blend of sycamores and locust mixed in.  If you get on the higher ground, you get into oaks and hickories but in the bottoms, cottonwoods are king.  That is the river in the background on the first picture.

Dave,
That is called Paw Paw.  You know like "Down in the Paw Paw patch".

Seriously..it's Paw Paw

The flowers will become fruit that looks like a small banana.  Keep an eye on it.  They don't last long.

I just looked in my Audubon field guide and it looks to me like it might be a Pawpaw-apple. The name Pawpaw is from the Arawkan name of Papaya, an unrelated tropical American fruit. First recorded in 1541 in the lower Mississippi Valley.

Hey cool!

I love pawpaws.  Never noticed the blooms before though.

Thanks for the info.

Make sure you pick some up and put them in your pocket.

yep, paw paw, saw some yesterday at my farm

Looper, I haven't heard that song since my great-aunt Thelma sang it to me!
Dave, I have long tried to get good pics of those, but failed miserably. Good job!

Killdeer  

Yep, Paw paw trees should be a good year. We have noticed the trees are loaded around here too.

Tracy

Mamaw use to make Paw-Paw pie. Oh man! Planted 150 paw-paw's all over the farm I hunt on this spring along with many other varieties. Deer are in for some treats in a few years. Nice photo's.

Man I love Paw-Paws!!!!!  I sure don't run across them here though.  I haven't eaten one since college, we had a grove of them on the University property that only those of us in Wildlife/Forestry majors knew about....man they are good!

I agree they are paw paw's.. My usual paw paw's grow on a shorter "shrubie" type of plant that grow in a cluster.  Are there a few different species of paw paw in Missouri...?  My great Aunt would always ask for paw paw's for her to make pies...  


John III

Neat, never heard of pawpaw before!

I hear the deer like them???  If that is the case dont forget where it is!

All animals like them --- when they drop, they don't make it long before something has eaten them!

They are good to eat if you can beat the deer and other critters to them. Cool pics!

I think you guys are incorrect, it's a baby one of these...

http://media.decider.com/assets/images/events/event/72980/little_shop_of_horrors_jpg_595x325_crop_upscale_q85.jpg

Yap, the pic is correct, but it is good to eat too.

Here is an interesting link. They're somewhat intermittent producers here in SE Penna.

http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pawpaw.html

Someone posted on here a few years back that some university found they were "toxic."

Ain't kilt me yet, but then... I never was "right" anywho.