Guava Feijoa

The Feijoa guava is not a member of the citrus family.
However, its resistance to cold is matched by an abundant harvest of delicious fruit in autumn.
Native to southern Brazil (“goiava serrana”, mountain guava), Feijoa is the least known of the guavas in its country of origin.
However the exotic taste of the fruit and its ease of cultivation have won over the New Zealanders, who have made it their second national fruit.

It blooms abundantly and spectacularly in June, and is also planted as a decorative hedge.
Harvesting takes place under the tree from mid-October to mid-November. The fruit falls when almost ripe, so there’s no need to pick them.
They do not rot quickly on the ground and are not attacked by birds or insects. They can be collected every 3 or 4 days.
A 10-year-old mature tree can produce up to 50 kilos, given the right conditions.
The foliage is permanent and the tree can withstand temperatures as low as -12 degrees without damage.
Watch out for snow that accumulates on leaves, then bends and breaks branches: shake off as little as 5 centimetres of snow.

No known diseases or parasites, so no treatment required.
No pruning except for low branches to facilitate harvesting.
Plant in the sun, fertilize and water moderately.

Feijoa is available in 2 variants:
– Common Feijoa, ungrafted, plants from seed, to ensure genetic diversity.
– Feijoa selected (in New Zealand), grafted on common Feijao, to optimize fruit yield.
The varieties are self-fertile, but it is still advisable to plant at least two different varieties to increase the quantity of fruit.