Sunnybank Papaya
About
Despite the great variability in size, quality and other characteristics of the papaya, there were few prominent, selected and named cultivars before the introduction into Hawaii of the dioecious, small-fruited papaya from Barbados in 1911. It was named 'Solo' in 1919 and by 1936 was the only commercial papaya in the islands. 'Solo' produces no male plants; just female (with round, shallowly furrowed fruits) and bisexual (with pear-shaped fruits) in equal proportions. The fruits weigh 1.1 to 2.2 lbs (1/2-1 kg) and are of excellent quality. When the fruit is fully ripe the thin skin is orange-yellow and the flesh golden-orange and very sweet.
'Kapoho Solo' or 'Puna Solo' was discovered and became popular with growers on Kauai before 1950. In 1955 a 'Dwarf Solo' (a back-cross of Florida's 'Betty' and 'Solo') was introduced to aid harvesting, and this became the leading commercial papaya on the island of Oahu. It was, up to 1974, the only export cultivar. It is pear-shaped, 14 to 28 oz (400-800 g) in weight in high rainfall areas, and has yellow skin and pale-orange flesh.