Two from 4 of my papaya seedlings I planted from seed have grown to about 2 meters high. They're about a year old or over. And for a couple of months, I have noticed that an elongated-shaped of blooms coming out between the branches. Unfortunately, they usually fall before the blooms even have the chance to flourish. To my curiosity, I picked up one of it and decided to check it out. As I broke open the petals I discovered an ovary with a stigma. It's confirmed: they are both female!! My dream of harvesting papaya fruit is shattered...
For your information, papaya plants have three types of sex that you can identify from the flowers: female, male or hermaphrodite, which means the flowers contain 2 kinds of sex organs(an ovary and stamen/self-fertile). Other flowers than the hermaphrodite can't be pollinated without the presence of the opposite sex flowers, unless the wind or insects bring along the pollen from other places.
This gives me a headache since it takes about a year or so to be able to identify the plant's sex. I should plant a male tree if I want my tree to be pollinated or else I should bring pollen from other places and pollinate my tree. And that means I have to plant several trees. It's a dilemma for me since I am planting in containers and I have not much space on my rooftop. I don't want too many papaya plants growing in big pots in my rooftop since it will be a heavy burden to the rooftop. Still I have to find a solution to my problem!
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