Papayas are tree-like succulent plants that bear large melon-like fruits that are technically berries; that is, they have a soft rind with black seeds embedded in the center of the juicy, fragrant flesh. With huge, palmately divided leaves atop a 20 to 25 foot trunk, they are very ornamental and look like coconut trees with clusters of the huge fruit under the canopy of leaves. The flowers are white with five lobes. Native to Mexico and Central America, they are cultivated in Brazil, India and many other tropical areas. Papayas are usually dioecious, with only female plants producing fruit, and they can produce two to three crops per year. Each fruit can weigh between 1.5 pounds (230 grams) and 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms). Papaya contains papain, an enzyme used to tenderize meat.