Feijoa sellowiana
( fay - JOH - uh sell - OH - ee - ah - nuh )
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At-A-Glance InformationFeijoa sellowiana (or Acca sellowiana), commonly called Pineapple Guava or Guavasteen, is an evergreen shrub or tree that needs full sun and regular water. Flowers will attract birds and insects to your garden. Native to South America, this plant can reach 18-25 feet tall and wide if it is not pruned down. Leaves are glossy green on top and silvery white underneath. Blooms appear in spring and early summertime; flowers are white-petaled with red stamens. The petals are delicious and can be added to salads or used for jams and jellies. Greyish green fruit appears after blooms, and is soft and sweet (somewhat flavored like pineapple). This is a drought tolerant plant, but needs regular waterings during fruiting time.
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feijoa sellowiana Varietals
Feijoa sellowiana is a species in the genus Feijoa, which is a member of the plant family Myrtaceae. Although their common names include 'Guava', they are not true Guava plants (though they are related). The genus is named for the Portuguese naturalist Joao de Silva Feijo, and the species is named for the German naturalist and botanist who first collected the fruits in southern Brazil, Friedrich Sellow. Pineapple Guava grows best in zones 6, 7-9, 12-24, H1 and H2. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
'Apollo'
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'Coolidge'
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'Mammoth'
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'Mazemetz'
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'Trask'
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Caring for and pruning Feijoa sellowiana shrubs
Pineapple Guava plants do best in well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. Water deeply and regularly as these plants are getting their root systems established, and as they are producing fruit. Otherwise, these beautiful flowering trees and shrubs are relatively drought tolerant. Before new growth begins each springtime, apply a slow-release, balanced fertilizer. Guavasteen can be grown either in-ground or in a container, and can be used as an espalier subject, a screening plant or a specimen tree. Having two plants near each other will increase fruit production, but these trees also respond well to hand-pollinating.
Feijoa sellowiana plants can be pruned each year right after fruiting has ceased. Cut the head back by no more than a quarter, removing dead or damaged wood or any crossing branches. Thin the canopy; these trees fruit on the base of new wood, so this will keep the tree producing well in the next year. If your tree or shrub is in need of restoration, it is best to do it over a few years so that you don't lose out too much on fruit, removing a quarter of the tree's branches each year. If you do remove a large branch, wait until spring to do more thinning - the tree may not react well to so much pruning activity done all in one go.
Harvesting Feijoa sellowiana Fruits
The fruit produced by Guavasteen shrubs and trees has a gritty texture and a flavor somewhere between strawberry, guava, and pineapple. The flower petals are also edible and are reported to taste a bit like marshmallow. Fruit can be harvested in fall, when the skin turns green and the fruit softens a bit. The fruits will fall from the tree when ripe, but to prevent bruising, it is a better practice to pick them off the tree and allow them to ripen in a paper bag. These fruits are not commonly found in produce markets; their proneness to bruising and fading flavor do not make them great candidates for transporting long distances. They can be cold-stored for up to a month after harvesting, and at room temperature will last a few days.
The petals of Guavasteen plants can be added to green or fruit salads, where they will add a bit of sweetness to the dish. Fruits can be eaten raw, though they do have a bit of a gritty texture. Skin is a bit bitter, but is edible. These fruits can also be added to fruit smoothies or made into a jam.
Feijoa sellowiana plants can be pruned each year right after fruiting has ceased. Cut the head back by no more than a quarter, removing dead or damaged wood or any crossing branches. Thin the canopy; these trees fruit on the base of new wood, so this will keep the tree producing well in the next year. If your tree or shrub is in need of restoration, it is best to do it over a few years so that you don't lose out too much on fruit, removing a quarter of the tree's branches each year. If you do remove a large branch, wait until spring to do more thinning - the tree may not react well to so much pruning activity done all in one go.
Harvesting Feijoa sellowiana Fruits
The fruit produced by Guavasteen shrubs and trees has a gritty texture and a flavor somewhere between strawberry, guava, and pineapple. The flower petals are also edible and are reported to taste a bit like marshmallow. Fruit can be harvested in fall, when the skin turns green and the fruit softens a bit. The fruits will fall from the tree when ripe, but to prevent bruising, it is a better practice to pick them off the tree and allow them to ripen in a paper bag. These fruits are not commonly found in produce markets; their proneness to bruising and fading flavor do not make them great candidates for transporting long distances. They can be cold-stored for up to a month after harvesting, and at room temperature will last a few days.
The petals of Guavasteen plants can be added to green or fruit salads, where they will add a bit of sweetness to the dish. Fruits can be eaten raw, though they do have a bit of a gritty texture. Skin is a bit bitter, but is edible. These fruits can also be added to fruit smoothies or made into a jam.
Propagation
Propagating Caesalpinia by Cutting
- Guavasteen shrubs and trees are most commonly propagated via cuttings taken in November from the bottom of the plant Cuttings should be about 1/5 inch in diameter, contain at least three nodes, and and have two leaves at the tip.
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, a clean razor blade, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 10-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In November, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Take your cuttings, and place them to the side. On each cutting, make some wounds with your razor blade. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm (about 68 degrees Fahrenheit), sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). They will do best when they get morning sun and dappled afternoon shade. Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Problems and Pests
- Fruit Flies
- Black Scale
Gallery
Guavasteen fruits are relatively small and green, ready for harvesting in autumn.
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Feijoa sellowiana can be grown as a low shrub or trained into a tree.
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Guavasteen trees are great ornamental accent trees for gardens that have the added benefit of producing yummy fruit.
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Videos
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How to grow Guavasteen plants.
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All about Feijoa sellowiana.
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How to grow and successfully harvest Guavasteen plants.
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An informational video on Acca sellowiana, or Pineapple Guava.
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Resources
Wikipedia: Feijoa sellowiana
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 319, Feijoa sellowiana
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