Pawpaws will be the theme of a program coming up this week at the Allerton Library in Monticello.

Doug Gucker at the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt  Counties will lead the Tuesday program on this unique fruit that has had a lot of staying power on Mother Earth.

Gucker will also have samples of pawpaw. He indicates pawpaw is a great option because pests tend to avoid it - as do most animals.

Gucker calls it a low-maintenance plant and is a small tree that is easy to maintain and drought-resistant. 

The program is on Tuesday from 2 pm to 3 pm at the Allerton Library in Monticello. It is a free program.