| Common Name | Latin Name | Plant Family |
|---|---|---|
|
Feijoa |
Acca sellowiana |
Myrtaceae |
Although not very cold hardy in Britain, it resists maritime exposure and can be grown as a shelter hedge in mild maritime areas[200, K].
Cultivation & Habitat
Seed – sow spring in a greenhouse. Rinse the seed before sowing to ensure there is no fruit flesh remaining since this can inhibit germination. The seed usually germinates in 3 – 6 weeks at 15¡c[3]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow on for at least the first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection for their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 – 7 cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Slow to root[K], but you eventually get a good percentage take[78].
Prefers a light loamy well-drained soil[11, 200], requiring a warm sunny position[182]. Prefers light shade[202]. Succeeds in any reasonably good soil, even chalk[1, 182]. Dislikes extreme alkalinity[202]. Tolerates drought and salt winds[200].
A very ornamental plant[1], it is only hardy in the milder areas of Britain. It grows very well on a west-facing wall at Kew where it often produces fruits, though these do not always ripen[K]. A very good crop of fruit was produced on this plant after the cool summer of 1998, these were not quite ripe at the end of October, but they ripened in storage[K]. Plants have also succeeded in Norfolk and in Scotland when grown against a sunny wall, though some extra protection might be required in very cold winters[219]. Succeeds as a free-standing shrub in Cornwall[1, 59]. Tolerates temperatures down to between -12 and -15¡c[184] when the plant is fully dormant[200].
Occasionally, and more frequently, being cultivated for its edible fruit in sub-tropical zones[3, 61], there are some named varieties[183]. ‘Apollo’ and ‘Mammoth’ are cultivars noted for their fruiting propensity[182]. ‘Smith’ fruits well in the Pacific Northwest and so might be suitable for the mild areas of Britain[183, K].
Fruits only ripen outdoors in Britain in hot summers[3]. Plants rarely set fruit in Britain, perhaps they are self-sterile[11]. Some cultivars are self-fertile whilst others require cross-pollination[183].
S. America – Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina.
Become ungovernable, break the chains of the matrix; grow and forage your own food and medicine.
*None of the information on this website qualifies as professional medical advice. Take only what resonates with your heart and use your own personal responsibility for what’s best for you. For more information [brackets] [000], see bibliography.