The papaya is a tropical fruit and plant with the following characteristics:
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FruitThe papaya is a large, oblong fruit with a smooth skin that can be yellow, orange, or salmon in color. The flesh is juicy and contains many dark seeds. The fruit can weigh up to 25.5 pounds and be 3 to 20 inches long.
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PlantThe papaya plant is a small, broadleaf evergreen tree that can grow up to 20 feet tall. It has a single, unbranched trunk with an umbrella-like canopy of leaves. The plant is native to Central and South America, but is now grown in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.
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FlowersThe papaya plant has separate male and female trees, but cultivars can be hermaphroditic. Female flowers grow in the leaf axis, while male flowers grow in long bunches on a flowering stem.
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UsesThe unripe papaya contains a milky juice that contains papain, an enzyme that digests protein. This juice is used to make meat tenderizers and remedies for indigestion.
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Other namesThe papaya is also known as the pawpaw in Australia and the tree melon in some other countries.
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