NEBRASKA -- Ever heard of the Paw Paw fruit? 

Botanically known as the Asimina Triloba or the custard apple, the Paw Paw fruit native to the south grows wildly in the southeastern tip of Nebraska. 

The fruit is typically found in backyards blooming late September to early October for harvest. 

"The way that the flavor is described is kind of a blend of banana, mango, and vanilla. So, sounds really good, I'd love to try it sometime," said Sarah Browning, UNL Extension Educator.

Its sweet flavor can take up from five to seven years to taste, as that's the timeline after planting to develop fruit. 

Once grown, it is known to be an understory tree typically growing up to 15 feet tall. 

"They prefer to grow in the shade of taller trees, so you know for us in our climate in Nebraska," Browning said. "You know, the best place for it would be a location where it would get morning sun, but then would get some afternoon shade from another taller tree."

Fun fact: the plant can be a source of nutrients for wildlife like possums and raccoons; making it important to protect your trees, but also to much smaller creatures. 

"So, the foliage is a food source for a couple of different types of butterflies, the zebra swallowtail butterfly and also the pawpaw sphinx moth," Browning said.

If picked when ripe the fruit can last up to a week. 

And if you ever find a tree, be sure to look for its unusual bell-shaped brown flower.