All About the Pineapple Guava (You Might Be Able to Grow One at Home)

Discovering a new fruit tree to add to the edible landscape is a moment to relish, and it does not come around all that often. Most US home growers looking to establish a food forest or backyard orchard turn to classics like peaches, plums, apples, pears, and cherries. There is certainly nothing wrong with that.

But, we don’t have to stop at those trees. Some lesser-utilized favorites might include mulberries, Asian persimmons, and pomegranates. Beach plums, hawthorns, and American pawpaws are great native fruit trees that add some personality to the orchard.

For those in warmer, drier climates like in the Western US, the pineapple guava (Acca/Feijoa sellowiana) could be an ideal choice. It’s got tropical flare, with a fruit that tastes sweet and delightful. It’s compact and evergreen, and pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love it. It’s a great time to get to know the pineapple guava, aka feijoa.

Basic Feijoa Facts

Pineapple guavas may have the taste and personality of a tropical fruit, but they require 50 chill hours to be productive. They fit comfortably in USDA Zones 8-11. However, they struggle in high-humidity environments like the Southeast. The plant originally hails from South America and loves life in California.

When all goes well, feijoa trees grow to be 12-15 feet tall. They have waxy, oval-shaped, dark green leaves. The showy flowers are a mix of red, pink, and or white with vivid, upright stamens. The fruit has green skin. Mature fruits are a couple of inches in diameter and a little longer. They resemble a green chicken egg.

Growing Pineapple Guavas

To grow pineapple guavas, the trees should be put in a sunny location with nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. Early on they’ll need to be watered regularly with deep soaks (once a week) to get established, but after that, they are very drought-tolerant trees. They are slow-growing, so don’t get impatient.

In colder environments, they can be grown in large pots (24” diameter) and moved into sheltered places in the wintertime. They can tolerate freezing temperatures into the teens (Fahrenheit), so they might do well outdoors in USDA 7 if they can move in for a night or two in the garage during the winter.

Several varieties are available to choose from. Amongst the most popular are Coolidge, Mammoth, and

Caring for Feijoa Trees

Another big plus for Team Feijoa is that the trees require very little pruning. All that is necessary is that the dead and crossing branches be cleared away in the winter. That said, they can be kept as topiary trees for hedges, espaliers, or specimen trees, but that will decrease the trees’ yield of fruit.

Pineapple guavas are not a big draw for pests like deer and gophers, so little to nothing is needed to help them with that. They do like a mild amount of fertilization, so it’s a good idea to give a thick layer of organic compost inside the tree’s dripline in the spring and late autumn.

Enjoying Your Guavas

Fruits from the pineapple guava aren’t commonly found in the supermarket or even in farmers’ markets, so it’s a treat that must be grown at home. The fruits have a sweet and tart flavor compared to (as a mix of) pineapple, guava, and strawberry. It’s got soft, granular flesh with gelatinous seed pockets.

Pineapple guavas are very fragrant and will even have a pleasing aroma before they are fully mature and ready for eating. They stay the same shade of green when they ripen. Thus, the best way to harvest them is to shake the tree and collect the fruits that fall on the ground.

The fruits can be eaten whole as smaller specimens, sucking out the inner flesh. The fruit can be cut in half and spooned out of the skin. They can be quartered and scraped out with your teeth. Larger fruits can be peeled. They work great in desserts, smoothies, juices, and jams.

Feijoa as Edible Landscaping

For those in the right environment, this tree is a fantastic addition to edible landscaping. It only occupies a small space and provides a wonderful treat in the fall. Meanwhile, it’s a shrub worthy of ornamental status.

Related Content:

• How to Grow and Harvest Dragon Fruit
• How to Recycle a Pineapple Top
• 8 Tropical Fruits You Can Grow in the US
• 10 Edible Trees to Grow for Beautiful Flowers
• 7 Unique Fruits To Try Out This Summer and Their Health Benefits!

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