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FEIJOA SELLOWIANA O. - Feijoa,
Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen |
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CULTURE |
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Location: To protect the fruit from
sunburn and other adverse effects of high temperature, choose
a plant site away from hot, reflected sun. The feijoa can tolerate
partial shade and slight exposure to salt spray. They also make
an excellent foundation planting, either singly or as an informal
hedge.
Soil: Feijoas will grow in a wide variety of soils. The best harvests,
however, come from plants growing in well-drained soil with a
pH between 5.5 and 7.0. They are fairly salt tolerant, but salinity
slows growth and reduces yields.
Irrigation: Foundation plantings
of feijoas in summer dry California have survived for several
years without supplemental water. Lack of water, however, will
cause the fruit to drop. For quality harvests, water deeply on
a regular basis, especially during flowering and fruit periods,
and mulch the soil around the plants to protect the shallow roots.
Fertilization: Feijoas grow slowly
and require only light applications of a complete fertilizer.
A feeding of 8-8-8 NPK once every two months can speed growth.
Pruning: Pruning is not required
to keep plants productive, but a light pruning in the summer after
fruit is harvested will encourage new growth and increase yields
the following year. Thinning the plant also permits easier harvesting.
When grown as a hedge, the feijoa responds well to heavy pruning
or shearing, but this reduces flower and fruit production.
Propagation: The feijoa grows easily
from seed, but the seedlings are not always true to type. Seeds
are separated by squeezing the seedy pulp into a container, covering
with water, and letting the liquid stand for 4 days to ferment.
The seeds are then strained out and dried before sowing. The seeds
will retain viability for a year or more if kept dry. Germination
takes place in 3 weeks. The plant fruits in 3 - 5 years from seed.
Vegetative means are necessary to reproduce a variety. Young wood
cuttings will root within two months with bottom heat and mist.
Whip, tongue or veneer grafting methods are sometimes successful,
as is air-layering and ground layering. Cutting-grown plants of
named varieties are most desirable, because they can be trained
in a variety of ways, and can be maintained as multitrunked shrubs
without concern that suckers will develop into "rogue"
branches.
Pests and diseases: The feijoa is
remarkably pest and disease-resistant. It is occasionally attacked
by by black scale in California, as well as fruit flies where
that is a problem.
Harvest:In southern California
the fruits ripen 4-1/2 to 6 months after flowers appear and in
5-1/2 to 7 months in the San Francisco area. As the fruit matures,
its color changes almost imperceptibly. The best way is to allow
them to fall from the tree. Giving the tree a shake and gathering
the fruit from the ground very couple of days is the usual method
of harvesting. To keep the fruit from bruising, place a tarp or
other large cloth under the tree to catch them as they fall. Feijoas
can also be picked when firm and mature and allowed to ripen at
room temperature, although the quality will not be as good as
tree ripened fruit. Mature fruit can be stored in the refrigerator
for about a week, but after that the quality declines. Feijoas
are mainly eaten fresh as a dessert or in salads, but can also
be cooked in puddings, pies, etc. After peeling, the fruit should
be immediately dipped into water containing fresh lemon juice
to prevent the flesh from turning brown.
Commercial Potential: Potential:
In California the feijoa is grown in a limited way for its fruit,
especially in cool coastal locations, mainly around San Francisco.
There has also been a major effort in New Zealand to commercialize
the feijoa. Both domestic and imported fruit can often be found
in the markets, but the demand does not seem to be great.
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CULTIVARS |
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Apollo
Medium to large, oval fruit. Smooth, thin, light-green skin with
blue-green surface bloom, subject to bruising and purpling. Pulp
well-developed, slightly gritty. Flavor very pleasant, quality excellent.
Ripens mid to late-season. Tree upright and spreading, to 8 ft.
tall, vigorous and productive. Self-fertile, and will pollinate
Gemini.
Choiceana
Originated in Australia. Small to medium-sized, round to oval fruit,
2 to 3-1/2 inches long. Skin fairly smooth. Flavor and quality good.
Ripens in midseason. Tree moderately vigorous, spreading. Almost
or always, but not less than 42% self-fertile.
Coolidge
Originated in Australia prior to 1908. Small to medium-sized fruit,
4 or more inches in length and 2-1/2 inches in diameter. Form pyriform
to oblong or elongated. Skin somewhat wrinkled. Flavor mild, indifferent
quality. Tree upright and strong growing, a reliable and heavy bearer,
100% self-fertile. The most widely planted cultivar in California.
Edenvale Improved Coolidge
Originated in Santa Cruz, Calif. by Frank Serpa of Edenvale Nurseries.
Large, oblong fruit of very good to excellent flavor and quality.
Ripens in October. Tree slow growing. Self-fertile, precocious and
productive. Grows best in climates similar to cool, coastal ares
of southern California.
Edenvale Late
From Edenvale Nurseries. Mediuim-sized, oblong fruit of very good
to excellent flavor and quality. Ripens late, in January,and over
a long period of time. Tree slow growing. Self-fertile, very productive.
Grows best in climates similar to cool, coastal areas of southern
California.
Edenvale Supreme
From Edenvale Nurseries. Medium-sized, oblong fruit of very good
to excellent flavor and quality. Ripens in November. Best eaten
soon after harvest. Tree slow growing. Self-fertile, precocious
and productive. Grows best in climates similar to cool, coastal
areas of southern California.
Gemini
Fruit small to medium, egg-shaped. Skin very smooth, thin, dark
green with a heavy bloom. Flavor and texture excellent. Ripens in
early autumn, earlier than Apollo. Tree upright, spreading, to 8
ft tall. Moderately vigorous, high yielding, partially self-fruitful,
but cross pollination is recommended for best fruit quality.
Mammoth
Selected in New Zealand from seedlings of the Choiceana. Large,
round to oval fruit, to 8-1/2 ounces, resembling Coolidge. Skin
thick, somewhat wrinkled. Flesh somewhat gritty, quality and flavor
very good. Matures early in midseason. Softer and not as good a
shipper as Triumph. Tree of upright habit, to 10 ft. tall, strong
growing. Self-fertile, but bears larger fruit, with cross-pollination.
Moore
Large, flavorsome fruit. Ripens in midseason. Very vigorous plant.
Recommended for California.
Nazemetz
Originated in San Diego, Calif. by Alexander Nazemetz. Large, pear-shaped
fruit, averaging 3 ounce in weight. Side walls moderately thin.
Pulp translucent and sweet. Flavor and quality excellent. Ripens
in late October to mid-December. Unlike that of many other cultivars,
the pulp of Nazemetz does not darken after being cut or as it ripens,
but retains its clear color. Tree self-fertile, but bears most heavily
when cross-pollinated. Good pollinator for Trask.
Pineapple Gem
Originated in Azusa, Calif. by Monrovia Nursery. Small, round fruit
of good to very good quality. Mid to late season ripening. Tree
self-fruitful but bears heavier crops if pollinated. Does poorly
under cool, coastal conditions.
Trask
Originated as a bud sport of Coolidge. Medium to large, oblong fruit,
up to 3-1/2 inches long and weighing 3 to 5 ounces. Rough, dark
green skin. Shells thicker and grittier than Coolidge. Flavor and
quality good to very good. Ripens early. Tree self-fertile, but
most productive when cross-pollinated. Precocious. Ideal pollinator
for Nazemetz.
Triumph
Selected in New Zealand from seedlings of the Choiceana cultivar.
Short, oval, plump fruits., not pointed as those of Coolidge, medium
to large. Skin uneven but firm. Flesh somewhat gritty but with good
seed to pulp ratio. Excellent sharp flavor. Ripens to midseason.
Tree upright, of medium vigor. Bears heavily if pollinated. Good
pollinator for Mammoth.
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