It is "possible" several years ago during a tropical storm it snapped one of the branches that was laden with papaya fruits... the strong winds and the weight made it break. I cut off the branch at an angle and several weeks later it regrew new leaves and looked like this a few months later...

Don't give up on it yet...NO guarantees but worth trying :o)

Oh ok wow!! can i use root hormone to root the top part? puglvr1

You've got nothing to lose by trying it, although I've never heard of them rooting successfully. Because they're so easy and fast from seed most people generally don't worry about trying cuttings.

beto- I would put your hopes on the half that still sticking out of the ground! Keep it watered and it should sprout a branch or two - just like puglvr's papaya..... AND....the top part that broke off - yes you could try to plant and use a rooting hormone to see if it will take, but that is the longer shot between the two parts of the plant.

Myamberdawg

I agree with MAD...I would put my bet on the one that's rooted...I've never tried rooting a papaya cutting so you have nothing to lose? The best bet would be for a new branch to grow out of the existed rooted plant :o)

Keep us posted!

i actually "top" my papaya plants sometimes. i cut off the top 3-4 inches on a plant , usually wait till it is 4-5 ft tall.
it can help keep them dwarf/short.
it can also make them sprout more than one shoot that produce flowers/fruit.
you really dont want too many "branches" or shoots producing fruit though. for one they fruit are heavy and can make the tree bend or topple when it gets bigger.
also, the roots have to be able to supply enough minerals and water to the new fruits.

as far as the top part.
i agree give it a shot, but ive tried 4-5 times and failed each time.
ive heard others trying and failing,
even though i have heard it is possible.

But, i also agree that they grow so fast from seed that i dont even fool with cuttings, i just always keep 10-15 seedlings around, and have several plants between 2 and 5 ft in pots

Hahaha! It is better because it will grow more branches and more fruits, I had one which had 3 branches after the middle got cut. I riped it out because it was a bad producer ( not much flowers).
I saw a huge one with about 2 huge trunks and many small ones with fruits all over. It was taller than 3 meters.. The only problem I can think of it the weight problem for the new trunks when they fruit because they might grow a little tilted.
Good luck!

They grow tilted, and even when they grow straight
when they fill up with heavy papaya, and , it rains hard, the ground softens
and then, just a small wind can topple them.

thats why most papaya growers keep seedlings around and grow new ones every year.

your "bad producer" would have produced much better had it only had one trunk !

Here in Hawaii when a tree gets too tall or the wind has broken the top off.. we cover the broken stalk with a pot or plastic to regenerate.. it's been working for generations...

This is amazing! I'm hoping somebody could help me with the issue I'm having with my papaya trees it's been so difficult relearning how to grow particular plants since I moved from Southern California to Sacramento I need help with my papaya trees I brought them in because it can get a little chilly up here but by looking at these leaves can you help?

The second tree I obviously took the side branches off because they were wilted really bad. I'm just trying to keep my babies a live

it looks like a water and/or sun issue.

first guess is the roots are too wet.

that is the #1 killer of papaya.... the water lets the root-rot virus take hold.

soil should be damp to semi dry. they handle dry sol very well actually, unless its 95F and they get 12 hours of sun, just give them a bit of mulch on top the soil to keep the moisture level even.

so, ive found its better to water them from the bottom, or even the sides, not watering the rootball directly...

they seem to benefit a lot from "good microflora", like compost tea, worm castings etc...

for food, i use fish emulsion. they seem to love the stuff. chicken poo, and well composted coffee grounds.

once they start looking like this, its almost better to grow new ones since they grow so fast from seed.

also, they dont like being transplanted, or having the roots tampered with at all. if you have to move them, move the whole rootball (not always easy)

so, better to grow them in a medium size container till they are 3ft tall, then plant them in the final position... use several containers, and only leave 1 plant in each... you can grow several from seed, but after they are a few inches tall, cut them at the soil line (DONT PULL THEM UP)... just leave 1 in each container after that... you can use 3 or 4 containers, but most papaya seeds now are bred to be bisex or female... even if you grow just 2, the odds are very very good, they wont both be male.

Thanks! We did get a heavy rain and I brought them in after since it was getting cold. You have many great suggestions, I will remain hopeful in salvaging what I have and if I can't it's not difficult starting over. I hope to have a good report in a few weeks or months.

When I lived in southern California, all I did was plant the seeds in the ground and mother nature did the rest. Since the claimant is different in Sacramento I have to figure out how to grow what I love and most importantly keep them alive. Plumerias, papayas..i have to keep them I'm containers and baby them.I'm having good luck with my ginger though.

Thanks again!

You have plenty of heat to grow anything. In summer. But, in winter the tropical Papaya's only chance is a warm winter- like last,and planted under a overhang to keep frost off in the valley. You could cover and heat also a few cold nights.

Plumeria can become big container plants for you in time. Once winter is deep,they go dormant and you cam move them into the garage and the like.

But,Mary,bring in Papaya's in for winter,is hard on the plants. I've had them shrivel up after a few weeks. Or spider mites. Its common.