Pineapple Guava

(Feijoa sellowiana)

Description:
The plant is a bushy shrub 1-6 m in height with pale grey bark; the spreading branches swollen at the nodes and white-hairy when young. The evergreen, opposite, short-petioled, bluntly elliptical leaves are thick, leathery, 3-6 cm long, smooth and glossy on the upper surface, finely veiny and silvery-hairy beneath. Conspicuous, bisexual flowers, 4 cm wide, borne singly or in clusters, have 4 fleshy, oval, concave petals, white outside, purplish-red inside and a cluster of numerous, erect, purple stamens with round, golden-yellow anthers. There are usually 20 to 40, occasionally as many as 100, very small, oblong seeds hardly noticeable when the fruit is eaten. The fruit is green, chicken-egg-sized, and ellipsoid-shaped. It has a sweet, aromatic flavour. The flesh is juicy and is divided into a clear jelly-like seed pulp and a firmer, slightly gritty opaque flesh nearer the skin.

Uses:
The fruit is usually eaten by cutting it in half, then scooping out the pulp with a spoon. The fruits have a juicy sweet seed pulp, and slightly gritty flesh nearer the skin. The flavour is aromatic and sweet.

Health:

Climate:
The feijoa needs a subtropical climate with low humidity. The optimum annual rainfall is 30 to 40 in (762-1,016 mm). The plant thrives where the weather is cool part of the year and it can withstand temperatures as low as 10°C. The flavour of the fruit is much better in cool than in warm regions.

Soil:
While the shrub is often said to be adapted to a wide range of soil types it actually prefers rich organic soil and is not very thrifty on light or sandy terrain. It is drought-resistant but needs adequate water for fruit production. The site must be well-drained. The feijoa can tolerate partial shade and slight exposure to salt spray.

Propagation:
The feijoa is generally grown from seed and reproduces fairly, but not absolutely, true to type. Seeds are separated by squeezing the seedy pulp into a container, covering with water, and letting the liquid stand for 4 days to ferment. Seeds are then strained out and dried before sowing. The seeds will retain viability for a year or more if kept dry. Germination takes place in 3 weeks.