Feijoa sellowiana

Pineapple Guava / Feijoa

Botanical Name: Feijoa sellowiana (syn. Acca sellowiana)
Family: Myrtaceae
Origin: South America (southern Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina)
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub or small tree

Overview

A versatile, productive evergreen perfectly suited to Adelaide's Mediterranean climate, Feijoa sellowiana combines ornamental beauty with delicious edible fruit. Dense, silvery grey-green foliage creates year-round structure, while spectacular crimson-and-white flowers in spring deliver both visual impact and edible petals. By autumn, aromatic oval fruits ripen with a unique pineapple-guava-mint flavour. Exceptionally drought-tolerant, heat-loving and low-maintenance, feijoa thrives as a feature tree, informal hedge, espalier or productive edible landscape plant across South Australian gardens.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 3–5 m H × 2–4 m W (can be kept smaller with pruning or trained as hedge/espalier)
• Growth Rate: 30–50 cm per year under good conditions
• Foliage: Oval grey-green leaves with distinctive silvery-white undersides; dense, attractive evergreen canopy year-round
• Flowers: Spectacular fleshy flowers with white petals, vibrant crimson stamens, and edible sweet petals; blooms late spring to early summer (November–December)
• Fruit: Oval green aromatic fruits (4–8 cm long) ripen in autumn (March–May); unique flavour combining pineapple, guava, and mint; fruit production improves with cross-pollination from a second variety
• Fragrance: Flowers lightly fragrant; fruit highly aromatic when ripe
• Seasonal Interest: Evergreen silvery structure year-round; spectacular spring flowering; productive autumn fruiting
• Wildlife Value: Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and honeyeating birds; fruit attracts birds (may require netting)
• Tolerance: Excellent drought tolerance once established; heat-tolerant; frost-hardy (tolerates moderate frosts to -10°C); wind-tolerant; coastal-tolerant in sheltered positions; copes with a range of soils; avoid waterlogging
• Planting Density: Hedge/screen: 1–1.5 m apart; Feature/orchard: 3–4 m apart for cross-pollination
• Pet Friendly: Yes—non-toxic and safe for pets; fruit is edible for humans and animals

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade (best flowering and fruiting in full sun; tolerates light afternoon shade)
• Soil: Well-drained loam, sandy loam, or clay loam; adapts to a range of soils including Adelaide's alkaline soils; thrives in moderately fertile to lean soils; excellent drainage preferred
• Water Needs:
  • Establishment: Deep soak twice weekly for 8–12 weeks
  • Established: Deep soak every 10–14 days in summer for best fruiting (more drought-tolerant than most fruit trees but performs best with regular water during fruit development); minimal watering in winter
• Maintenance: Low to moderate maintenance; prune lightly after fruiting to shape and maintain size; can be hedge-clipped or trained as espalier; thin fruit in heavy-cropping years for larger fruit size; feed in early spring with compost or slow-release fertiliser; mulch to retain moisture; plant two or more varieties for best cross-pollination and heavy fruiting (though single plants will produce some fruit)
• Lifespan: 30–50+ years
• Climate Zones: Ideal for temperate and Mediterranean South Australia—Adelaide plains, foothills, Fleurieu Peninsula, Adelaide Hills, sheltered coastal and inland gardens
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (pH 5.5–7.0); tolerates mildly alkaline soils (up to pH 7.5)

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Edible landscapes and productive gardens—ornamental and functional
• Informal hedging or screening along boundaries for silvery evergreen privacy
• Feature specimens in Mediterranean and cottage gardens
• Espalier against sunny walls or fences for space-efficient fruiting
• Mixed orchard plantings with citrus, pomegranate, and olive
• Large containers on patios (dwarf or semi-dwarf varieties)
• Silvery foliage contrast in mixed shrub borders
• Bird-attracting gardens (flowers for honeyeaters; protect fruit with netting if desired)

Why You Will Love It

Feijoa delivers triple value—stunning silvery evergreen foliage, spectacular edible flowers, and delicious aromatic fruit with unique flavour. Tough, drought-tolerant, and thriving in Adelaide's climate, it's the ultimate multi-purpose plant for productive, beautiful, low-water South Australian gardens. Plant two varieties for bumper crops and enjoy months of fresh fruit each autumn.