Other Names:  Feijoa, Guavasteen

Description:

A large fruiting evergreen shrub that can be maintained as a small tree; a sprawling plant used primarily in landscapes; produces showy red and white flowers in spring and edible fruit in fall; great for screening; drought tolerant

Ornamental Features

Pineapple Guava features showy white pincushion flowers with pink overtones and red anthers at the ends of the branches from mid spring to early summer. The fruits are showy green drupes carried in abundance from early summer to mid fall. It has dark green foliage with gray undersides which emerges light green in spring. The fuzzy oval pinnately compound leaves remain dark green throughout the winter.

This plant is primarily grown as an ornamental, but it's also valued for its edible qualities. The oval sweet fruit is most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking
• Preserves

Landscape Attributes

Pineapple Guava is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds and bees to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Pineapple Guava is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Pineapple Guava will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings.

Pineapple Guava makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.