Feijoa plant

The feijoa plant, Feijoa sellowiana, brings beautiful flowers, fragrant fruit, and year-round greenery to an edible garden. Common names include Feijoa, Pineapple Guava, Brazilian Guava, Fig Guava, Guavasteen, Mountain Guava, New Zealand Banana, and Horn of Plenty.

This bushy evergreen shrub comes from South America, where it grows naturally in parts of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. As a result, its journey into gardens worldwide reflects its appealing combination of ornamental beauty and delicious harvests.

Leathery green leaves reveal silvery undersides, giving the foliage a soft shimmer in the breeze. Meanwhile, striking flowers combine fleshy white-and-pink petals with a bright brush of red stamens. Together, these features make it an attractive choice for productive hedges, informal screens and smaller orchard spaces.

The oval green fruit typically measures around 5 cm long, although size varies with growing conditions and individual plants. Inside, aromatic flesh combines pineapple-like sweetness with strawberry and guava notes. As a result, the fruit offers a unique taste experience.

Slice ripe fruit in half and scoop out the flesh for a simple garden snack. Alternatively, add it to smoothies, bake it into cakes, or turn a generous harvest into jam, chutney and fruit crumbles.

The sweet flower petals offer another edible treat. Scatter a few over fruit salads or desserts, leaving the flower centres intact.

Grow Lemon Myrtle nearby to expand your garden’s flavours, pairing its citrus-scented leaves with feijoa in homemade syrups or preserves.

Choose an open, sunny position with well-drained soil. Furthermore, feijoas adapt to several soil types, but compost and mulch help support healthy growth. Water regularly during establishment and fruit development.

Established plants tolerate some frost and drought, although harsh frosts can damage flowers and developing fruit. Therefore, protect young plants from severe conditions.

Plant two genetically different feijoas nearby to encourage cross-pollination and improve cropping. Allow them to grow to about 2.5 m tall by 2 m wide with pruning; unpruned plants can grow larger.

Collect fallen ripe fruit promptly and check for softness before eating. Afterwards, prune lightly after harvest, remembering that heavy clipping can reduce future flowers and fruit.