Pineapple guava, also known as Feijoa, is a temperate subtropical, evergreen shrub that offers delicious harvests of tropical tasting fruit.
Pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana) is not closely related to true guavas (Psidium spp.); the name comes from the fruits guava-like flavour.
Native to the cool highlands of South America, pineapple guava has become especially popular in New Zealand, where it’s grown commercially and enjoyed as a beloved backyard crop.
In late spring, pineapple guavas bursts into bloom with showy white-and-crimson flowers. The flower petals are edible and they are so sweet they taste like cotton candy.
By autumn, the plant produces fragrant, egg-shaped fruits with a tropical flavour blend of pineapple, guava, and mint. The fruit can be enjoyed raw or cooked.
Drought-tolerant once established, pineapple guavas thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it an easy-care choice for edible landscapes, privacy screens, or ornamental hedges. Pineapple guavas are cold hardy to Zone 8b (-9ºC), so may require some winter care depending on your location.
Pineapple guava shrubs are becoming more and more popular, with a very devoted following. We offer both seed-grown pineapple guavas, as well as early-ripening grafted cultivars.
Common names: Feijoa, Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen, Brazilian Guavas, Fig Guavas, Guayabo Del Pais
Edible: Fruit and flowers
Harvest timing: August-November
Scientific name: Acca sellowiana (previously Feijoa sellowiana)
Light requirements: Full sun
Full-grown size: 6-12' tall
Hardiness: Zone 8b (-9ºC)
Pollination: Partially self-pollinating but in reality you need two different varieties.
Wildlife: Flowers and fruit attract birds, bees, butterflies.
Origin: Native to South America. Cultivars developed in New Zealand.
Noteworthy: Evergreen. Unique, tropical tasting fruit, edible flowers.
