Feijoa sellowiana

The Feijoa sellowiana, also known as Acca sellowiana or Brazilian Guava, is an evergreen bush with an exotic charm, and exceptional summer flowering. Its fleshy, edible flowers are made of pink-white or purple petals, open in a corolla around a burst of large purple stamens. They are followed, with a long and hot summer, by delicious fruits that remain green, whose taste is reminiscent of pineapple. Its foliage is almond green, tough, covered with a silvery down at birth. This small tree has a rare and elegant personality, attracting all eyes to its attractive silhouette all year round. It prefers mild climates, but is surprisingly hardy. It appreciates the sun and heat to bloom and bear fruit well, and is content with ordinary well-drained soil, even temporarily dry. It will settle in large pots on the terrace, in isolation, in an orchard, in a hedge or in beds, in a sheltered location.

The Acca sellowiana, also known as Montevideo Guava, is a partially self-fertile small tree from the Myrtle family, native to South America: Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay. In nature, this bushy shrub reaches 6 m (19 ft 8 in) in height, but it will settle for 2 to 3 m (6 ft 7 in to 9 ft 10 in) in our climates, for a spread of 1.50m (4 ft 11 in). Its growth is quite slow in the first few years. It can very well be grown for purely ornamental purposes. It is interesting for several reasons:

First for its summer flowering, in June-July-August depending on the climate, both spectacular and delicious. Its fleshy flowers stand out well from the foliage. They are solitary, purple, white, red and fleshy. The petals have a fruity, sweet and sour flavour. They are edible and can bring an exotic note to salads.

When summer is long and hot, the flowers manage to give fruits which ripen late in October. They are called feijoas, pineapple guavas, Brazilian guavas or Montevideo guavas, resemble hairless green kiwis, and are covered with a rough green skin that remains even when ripe. The pulp is granular, it contains seeds, and has a slightly acidic taste, whose aroma recalls both pineapple, guava and strawberry. The flesh is rich in vitamins B and C.

Then for its elegant habit and its evergreen foliage, composed of ovate and tough leaves, a beautiful almond green, while they are born covered with a silver white down. The bark covering the trunk is reddish, covered with patches of light bark.

Feijoa sellowina is a bush that offers several delightful surprises with its naturally bushy structure and beautiful flowers. It can be used to create hedges but also makes an impressive standalone specimen when planted on a terrace or in a garden. To ensure good fruiting, cross-pollination is necessary, which can be achieved by planting several trees together. Growing fresh seeds is a cost-effective way to obtain multiple trees. This Brazilian guava is a hardy plant that can withstand temperatures as low as -15°C (5 °F), is resistant to pests and drought, and can easily grow in the kiwi zone. It is an excellent addition to any garden, and its pineapple-guava fruit is truly a delight.