Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
9
F R U I T I NG S H R U B S
Pineappleguava
Feijoasellowiana
syn.
Accasellowiana
At its best, this is one of the most delicious of
fruits carried on a shrub that is almost
indestructible. It grows into a perfect
evergreen screening shrub or can be easily
hedged, although the best fruit production is
from an open multi-stemmed shrub open to
air and light.
Seedling plants are often met with and can be
satisfactory, if not the best possible. Choose
grafted or cutting-grown plants of named
cultivars for the best results. Most of these are
self-fertile but their yield improves with cross-
pollination from another cultivar. Consult
your nursery supplier and if they don't know,
find one that does, as named cultivars are
available from mail-order companies.
Train them to a single stem with five or six
major branches, keeping the branches about
1 m above the ground. This makes mulching
and feeding their shallow root system
much easier.
The delicious flowers that can be used as
exotic garnishes are produced on the base of
the previous season's wood. Thin and shorten
the new growth at harvest to encourage this
growth. Apart from the establishment of a
framework, very little pruning is necessary
except perhaps to tidy long, lanky stems and
to improve its shape. Ensure the centre of the
shrub does not become too congested by
clearing crossed wood once in a while.
The grey-green zeppelin-shaped fruits do not
colour when they are ripe which means the
birds rarely bother them. When the first fruit
starts to fall pick the fruit. It will ripen off the
bush in a few days.
Figure 9.1
The pineapple guava or
Feijoasellowiana
is
easy to grow and delicious. (Photo courtesy of The Food
Forest, www.foodforest.com.au)
