Papaya (Carica papaya), from Carib via Spanish, papaw, or pawpaw, is the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae. It is native to the tropics of the Americas, and was first cultivated in Mexico several centuries before the emergence of the Mesaoamerican classical civilizations
The papaya is also known as fruta bomba, lechosa (Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and the Dominican Republic), mamão, papaw (Sri Lankan English), Papol \ Guslabu (Tree melon) in Sinhalese), pawpaw or tree melon. It is a small tree, the single stem growing from 5 to 10 m tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk; the lower trunk is conspicuously scarred with scars of where leaves and fruit were borne. The flowers are similar in shape to the flowers of the Plumeria but are much smaller and wax like. The fruit is ripe when it feels soft (like a ripe avocado or a bit softer) and its skin has attained an amber to orange hue.
Papaya is frequently used as a hair conditioner and skin exfoliate.