Pineapple guava shrub

14 years ago

Hi everyone! I just bought a beautiful little shrub called pineapple guava. Has anyone here grown this? I researched it a little and the nursery where I bought it told me full sun and that it was "similar to a fig tree" in size when grown. I am considering planting it on the southwest corner of my house. Do you think this might be a good location? I live on the MS. Gulf Coast.

Thanks for any comments!!

Jeani

Featured Answer

vetivert8

14 years ago

Sounds like a feijoa! (Acca sellowiana)

They're better planted away from houses as they can grow to 15+ feet high and six feet across.

They don't mind wind and can tolerate light frosts, though early frosts could mush the fruit which would be Awful!

They are shallow rooted and are grateful for being mulched as they do better when they have summer watering. They don't need a lot of fertiliser. They prefer a slightly acid soil.

Be careful when you prune because fruit is produced on new wood toward the outer edges of the plant. Some varieties are self-fertile. The flowers are red and white. They're not the same as but the flowers do remind one of Callistemon/bottle-brush.

Do not eat fruit that is hard, even though you can definitely pick it in that state and leave it to ripen indoors. Ooh-yuck-mouth-pucker stuff - like unripe persimmons. When they start to scent out the kitchen in the way that quince can, and they yield to gentle finger pressure, then cut them in half and scoop out the flesh/seed area with a spoon. Leave the skin. If they've gone brown - well, I wouldn't. I prefer mine while the skin is still green and unblemished. Experiment, though.

You can also juice them, or use them to make a 'crumble' type of pie. I'm not sure of the pectin content for jam making - and they never last long enough for that sort of work, anyway.

Comments (8)

jeanim
Original Author
14 years ago
Vetivert, thank you sooo much for all the info!! I will try to find a spot a little furthur out from the house for it.
I do have a bottlebrush shrub and love the flowers on it so am very excited about seeing this shrub in bloom.
Thanks again!
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karpes2
14 years ago
Jeanim
The white flower petals are edible and quite delicious. One other bonus is that Feijoa is evergreen.
Karpes
wodka
14 years ago
Hi, jeanim. I live on the Miss. Gulf Coast, too. Would you mind sharing where you found your pineapple guava? I would love to have one, as we have very few trees. We built our new home (after losing ours to Katrina) on a new lot with virtually no trees, in 2007. We have an oak tree and a red maple (that looks pitiful when it sheds its leaves for the winter), and that's about it for trees! I love the fact that the guava is an evergreen....

Thanks!
petite_orange
14 years ago
Hi Jeanim -
I grew this for many years in south LA. Though I had 2 trees, I found that it would not cross-pollinate, so I would borrow flowering branches from a friend and commit a perverse act upon my trees. I finally took them out because the fruit proved to be disappointing and I wanted something that would produce a tastier fruit (another type of guava).
That said, it is a very lovely evergreen small tree/giant shrub. Mine grew to 15+ feet in about 5 years (from 2" pots). They are extremely attractive in flower, and the flowers are indeed edible, but nothing to rave about.
It is an undemanding plant; I never watered, mulched, or fertilized and the plants were thriving, lush and grew like weeds. Do give it some room!
This is not a "true" guava.
Cheers - Nancy
vetivert8
14 years ago
Feijoas are a commercial crop here and they've been developed to have fruit around the size of a large-ish kiwi(fruit).

If you were just growing the 'original' version it's likely you'd think I was whiffling away about no big deal.

The two you could get to actually have a crop are 'Triumph' and 'Mammoth' - otherwise you'll be borrowing branches from a neighbour - just like Nancy!
jeanim
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for all the info...keep it coming! LOL
Wodka, I emailed you but for anyone else locally wanting to know I bought it at a small shop & nursery in Bay St. Louis named the Mosquito Hawk. It's a flea market type shop with a small cafe and plant section that's owned by 2 local artists. One's husband owns a nursery and sells many of his plants there. The prices are great!! My shrub is about 3 feet tall and very bushy....it cost $8.00 I think.

They had several there and I asked if I needed to purchase more than one for pollination but they said it wasn't necessary. I have no idea of the "name" other than the tag said pineapple guava....may have to go back and ask. I really don't care about the fruit, just hope to see some pretty flowers at some point! If you all think I need to, I will go see about getting another one or two as I have plenty of space for planting right now. Most of my trees got Katrina'ed and we have cleared 6 lots recently so I'm trying to fill them up again.
Thanks everyone!!
brocos_sbcglobal_net
12 years ago
I purchased a property in Carpinteria, CA (Santa Barbara coastal area). On site, we have a mature Pineapple Guava which bears delicious fruit. Since we will be building a house on sight, the tree will either be cut down or moved.

Any suggestions on moving it, as we would love to keep it? The breast height diameter of the trunk/caliper is about 6' so I suppose it is very mature.

Thanks,

Nate

brocos@sbcglobal.net