If you’re anything like my wife and thought papaya grows somewhere low to the ground like a regular garden plant… well, I had the same surprise waiting for me.
Papaya doesn’t actually grow on a tree in the usual sense. It’s more like a tall, fast-growing plant that just pretends to be a palm.
a single straight trunk with no branches
leaves only at the very top
fruits growing directly from the trunk
usually around 2–5 meters tall, sometimes higher
It looks slightly unreal the first time you see it up close — like nature took a shortcut and didn’t bother with branches at all.
technically, papaya is considered a giant herb, not a tree
it grows incredibly fast and can start producing fruit in 6–12 months
its lifespan is short — around 3–5 years
in Thailand, it grows everywhere — sometimes right in people’s yards
So yeah, it’s basically a “fake palm” with fruit stuck straight onto the trunk. Simple, efficient, and a bit weird.
Papaya is one of those fruits you start noticing everywhere in Thailand — markets, street stalls, kitchens… it’s just part of daily life here.
And what I didn’t expect at first — it’s not just about sweetness.
Green papaya — crunchy, fresh, almost neutral. This is what goes into som tam (that spicy Thai salad everyone talks about).
Ripe papaya — soft, juicy, deep orange, with a smooth and mellow sweetness.
Locals don’t treat it as something exotic at all. For them, it’s as normal as apples or potatoes.
Papaya is also known for being easy on the body:
helps digestion (thanks to papain)
light and refreshing
perfect as a quick snack after a meal
You’ll often see it already peeled and packed in small bags with a stick — grab and go, no thinking needed.
This photo shows a field where papaya used to grow. Now it’s already cleared, and the trunks are stacked in neat piles — kind of strange to see how quickly everything changes here.
But the real reason I came here was different.
I wanted to see papaya flowers.
I had never seen them before, and honestly didn’t expect much… but they turned out surprisingly beautiful. Soft, slightly yellow, almost waxy-looking. And the unopened buds? Even better — they look delicate and oddly perfect.
Of course, I ended up taking way more shots than planned.
Now at least I know what papaya looks like before it becomes fruit.
At first, papaya might feel a bit too simple compared to flashy fruits like mango or durian.
But the longer you stay in Thailand, the more you start to appreciate it — not for being exotic, but for being constant.
It’s always there. Always fresh. Always part of the moment.
Have a great day!
Thank you for your likes, your comments, and your time. It never goes unnoticed.
I write my texts myself, correct mistakes and translate via ChatGPT (which is not a violation on Hive)! All photos were taken by me personally - I am a beginner photographer, so I ask professionals not to judge strictly.
Thank you for sharing these moments with me! Until new stories and new holidays! ✌️.
Camera 📷: Sony Alpha 7 IV full-frame
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 70-200mm F: 2.8 GM OSS II
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
Lens 🔭: Sony FE 24–70mm f/2.8 GM II
Processed 🛠: Lightroom
