). The oblong leaves are about long, dark green on the upper side and white underneath. The flowers have five whitish petals which are puffy, possibly filled with some gas. There are about 25 dark red stamens projecting from the centre.

Taxonomy

Feijoa sellowiana was formerly widely treated in the genus Acca, as Acca sellowiana (O.Berg) Burret, but genetic research showed that the type species of Acca (Acca lanuginosa) is more closely related to the genus Myrrhinium than it is to "A. sellowiana", thus leaving Acca polyphyletic with respect to Myrrhinium if "A. sellowiana" is included. Separated into Feijoa, it is the only species in this genus.

Growing conditions

In Brazil, it is naturally found around Araucaria angustifolia forests at altitudes more than 900 metres.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the species has been cultivated in the United Kingdom and as far north as western Scotland, but under such conditions it does not fruit every year, as winter temperatures below approximately kill the flower buds. Summer temperatures above may also have an adverse effect upon fruit set. Feijoas are somewhat tolerant of drought and salt in soils, though fruit production can be adversely affected. Tolerant to partial shade, regular watering is essential while the fruit is maturing.

Cultivation

thumb|Young feijoa seedling

thumb|Leaves

The main cultivation areas are in countries such as New Zealand, the United States (California), and Colombia, rather than the feijoa's native region. Some cultivars of F. sellowiana, widely distributed internationally, derive from a small number of introductions of "Uruguayan type" plants. In 1890, Professor Edouard André introduced a specimen or a few specimens of the species from Uruguay to France, which were the origin of the seedlings introduced in California, and later reached New Zealand. Subsequently, Colombia introduced materials from various parts of the world.

Uruguay continues to have breeding and commercialization programs focused on creating cultivars better for commercial production, with better fruit characteristics (including thinner skin, smaller seeds and better flavor and color). The program, initiated in 2000 by the Instituto Nacional de Semillas and the Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria has identified 4 varieties registered for commercial development, alongside an expansion of growers and unregistered varieties. The fruiting season is from March to June. Its pollinators are bees, bumblebees, and medium-sized birds. The silvereye is a pollinator in the cooler parts of the South Island; the blackbird and the Indian myna, which feeds on the sweet, fleshy flower petals, are pollinators further north. In some areas, the trees have been unproductive due to lack of pollinators. The shrub has very few insect pests, but guava moth is a problem in Northland.

In the South Caucasus, feijoa has been cultivated in the southern coastal region of Azerbaijan since 1928; cultivation in neighboring Georgia has gradually increased to about in 1986.

Sale and shipping

Ripe fruit is prone to bruising; difficulty maintaining the fruit in good condition for any length of time, along with the short period of optimum ripeness and full flavour, probably explains why feijoas are not exported frequently, and are typically sold close to where they are grown. However, intercontinental shipping of feijoa by sea or air has been successful.

<gallery heights="180px" widths="200px">

File:Feijoa sellowiana edit.jpg|The crisp, spicy-sweet tasting petals of feijoa flowers are edible.

File:Feijoa spread.jpg|Spread made of mashed raw feijoa

File:Feijoas in New Zealand 20230418 155309.jpg|A display of feijoas for sale in Auckland, New Zealand

</gallery>

Varieties

Numerous cultivars of feijoa have been developed. These include:

  • Anatoki
  • Apollo
  • Bambina
  • Barton
  • Den's Choice
  • Choiceana
  • Tibasosa (grown in the "Feijoa capital of Colombia", Tibasosa)
  • Coolidge
  • Edenvale Improved Coolidge
  • Edenvale Late
  • Edenvale Supreme
  • Gemini
  • Kaiteri
  • Kakariki (a cultivar developed by Waimea Nurseries, New Zealand, large flavour-filled fruit, named from the Māori word for green)
  • Mammoth – named for its relatively massive fruit
  • Moore
  • Nazemetz
  • Opal Star
  • Pineapple Gem
  • Smilax – mid-sized, spherical fruit with smooth texture
  • Trask
  • Triumph
  • Unique (NZ cultivar, particularly tolerant of clay soils, and self pollinating)
  • Vista Long – noted for the long shape of its fruit, developed in Vista, CA
  • Wiki Tu

Notes

References

  • Feijoa: Plants for a Future