Feijoa (Fiejoa sellowiana)

An attractive small tree, what’s not to love about the feijoas or commonly known as pineapple guava. It is a small, dense, hardy, evergreen tree or large shrub that produces tasty but underutilised autumn fruit.

The plant is not widely known in Australia, but is well known to gardeners in New Zealand. It is native to parts of South America, including Colombia, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay and prefers a mild climate.

The trees are compact, usually reaching around 2-5m high and 2-3m wide, but can be pruned to size and grown as a dense hedge or windbreak. The leaves are thick and grey-green in appearance.

Feijoas produce small, green, elliptical fruit (up to 10cm in length). Inside the fruit is a cream to yellowish flesh that can be eaten fresh, spooned from the flesh or cut up for a fruit salad. The fruit can also be added to cakes, muffins or desserts (much like a pear).

The fruit forms after the showy pink to red and white flowers, which appear in late summer, have been fertilised. The fruit falls to the ground as it ripens. Ripe fruit will feel slightly soft and have a pleasant aroma. The fruit remains green when ripe.

While feijoas are self-fertile, many plants fruit better with cross-pollination (that is, pollen from another nearby plant.

For best fruiting, look for named varieties at your local hardware or garden centre. Here are a few to consider:

• Mammoth grows to around 3m in height and width. It has striking, extra-large, round to oval fruit, which is slightly wrinkled. The fruit has a sweet bubblegum smell.
• White Goose is so named after the White Goose Feijoa Farm, where it was first bred in New Zealand. Growing to the same height and width as the Mammoth, it has large, smooth-textured fruit which have a sweet flavour and soft, juicy pulp. They fruit in early autumn.
• Triumph fruits late autumn with firm skin, medium-sized fruit that is soft and juicy. Growing to around 4 m in height and width, it is one of the largest-growing feijoas.

Growing conditions

Aspect Feijoas need a bright, sunny location with sun from the morning onwards. They tolerate part shade, particularly afternoon shade, in hot climates. Feijoas are a hardy plant that can tolerate a range of conditions, including wind, but they benefit from being sheltered.

Soil They grow in a wide range of soils, including coarse, rocky and heavy clay, but require good drainage as they can’t tolerate wet feet. In areas with poor drainage, grow in raised garden beds (raised at least 30cm) or in large containers. In containers, use a premium potting mix such as Seasol Advanced Potting Mix. Before planting into the ground, add homemade compost and organic matter and/or Seasol Super Compost.

Climate Feijoas grow in temperate to subtropical climates. They are frost hardy and also tolerate coastal locations and some cooler conditions as long as they are protected. In areas where they are unprotected, their growth and fruiting may be reduced.

General care

Watering Feijoas are drought hardy when established, but fruit better when there is adequate and regular water in summer and early autumn. Deep water at least weekly, especially when plants are flowering or forming fruit, for proper fruit formation. Water more frequently if plants are in hot, dry or exposed conditions or if they are growing in containers. Regularly apply Seasol every 2 to 4 weeks for overall plant health and to reduce stress from heat and drought.

Feeding and mulching Feed regularly by applying a complete fertiliser for fruiting plants, such as Seasol plus Nutrients Fruit & Citrus. Supplement with a liquid fertiliser such as PowerFeed PRO SERIES Fruit & Citrus every 2 to 4 weeks during the growing period (spring to autumn) to the soil. Do not apply to the foliage, as this may affect the fruit.

Protect the area around the base of the tree with a 5-7cm layer of coarse organic mulch, which helps keep the soil evenly moist and weed-free and makes collecting fallen fruit easier.

Pruning Feijoas fruit without regular pruning, however, regular light pruning helps shape the plant. Do not hard prune.

Watch out These trees have few pest or disease problems. They may be troubled by wax scales, leaf-rolling caterpillars and fruit fly.