Feijoa: Chilling hours required to fruit?

[Epicatt2]

I am wondering if there's anyone in this group might be growing and successfully fruiting Feijoa in Zone 9b.

I've now started to hear that the feijoa (pineapple guava) Acca sellowiana actually needs a few chiliing hours to be able to successfully set fruit, but am not sure how many hours would be required nor how cold. 

It also may be possible that there are some particular cultivars of this species which require no chilling hours to fruit.  So, have any of the members in Zone 9b had regular success fruiting this species?  Any particular cultivar(s) of it?

I have wanted to grow this species here in Tampa but if it going to need more chilling hours than we get in Tampa then I will choose something else. 

Fingers X-ed!

Paul M.
==

[BoBiscuit]

It fruits really well around here in 10a. Lots of people grow it. By "chilling hours", they probably mean that the tree needs marked cool season, not months of sub 40-45 degree temps like apples or stone fruit.

[spaugh]

It fruits here with around 200 hrs. 

[Epicatt2]

It fruits really well around here in 10a. Lots of people grow it. By "chilling hours", they probably mean that the tree needs marked cool season, not months of sub 40-45 degree temps like apples or stone fruit.

Bo,

Is that a particular cultivar (or cultivars) of feijoa that growing and fruiting in 10a?

Also...  Haven't so far been able to learn anything definitive as to what minimal coolish temps are need to be to regularly induce flowering/fruiting in feijoa. Nor how long (or short) of a coolish spell the feijoas will respond to for successful flowerng/fruiting.

Hoping that there are more than just a few folks in zone 9b or warmer who are fruiting feijoas.  Not sure if there are any other factors involved in getting feijoas to flower and bloom in zone 9b or warmer.

Still with fingers X-ed.

Paul M.
==

[TonyinCC]

I grew Pineapple Guava in zone 8  when I lived in South Carolina and have seen mature trees that withstood freezes to 10 degrees F.
 They showed no cold damage at 15 degrees. The blossoms tasted much better than the fruit, they were sweet and very pleasant to add to a salad or just eat alone. It can be a nice landscape specimen tree. I have only seen a few in SW Florida, they are not popular here but grow fine. I have not noticed fruit on them locally. IMO if your climate allows you to grow regular guavas you should grow those. (unless you can find improved cultivars of pineapple guava, which I was unable to do years ago.) Standard seedling trees produce fruit that is mediocre at best and too gritty to eat even when soft ripe at worst.

[BoBiscuit]

Paul,

I haven't seen named varieties of feijoa around, but I haven't really looked either.

Just curious if you've looked into strawberry guava. I'm pretty sure that one has little to no chill requirement (and a tastier fruit IMO).

[TonyinCC]

I think 20 years ago there were at least a half dozen named varieties of Pineapple Guava available but I couldn't find any in the Southeast, I think they were mainly California cultivars. I wonder if the fruit was at least decent on those.

[Bush2Beach]

Feijoa is one of the most delicious fruits. Translucent ,sweet , floral jelly. You want to see the Jelly inside on the good ones, not like normal guava mesocarp.
There are quite a few named varieties and they graft pretty easily.

[TonyinCC]

Apparently there is much better germplasm in California. It is a shame I grew standard nursery seedling plants for years and only enjoyed the blossoms.
 In the Southeastern US, none of the fruit was better than mediocre, and I tried a half dozen sources. None were improved varieties. Fruit size varied from about a USDA small to large egg size and shape.  Some were better than others. Flowers were tasty and sweet from all and fruit had good aroma but pulp was very gritty and scant on all the fruits I tasted. Also very seedy with hard seeds. Are they resistant to fruit flies? Never had a problem with insect damage in South Carolina but have heard true guavas get attacked in Florida. Sounds like someone needs to get scionwood from Califonia if they want good fruit.....

[Bush2Beach]

It very well could be environmental and they need cool nights for good flavor/ripening.
I don’t think there is a nursery anywhere in CA selling grafted Feijoa.
Majority of people plant them as ornamentals and don’t eat or know about the fruit.

[mangomike]

Here is my notes page for pineapple guava. There are indeed many cultivars spread around, mostly in California and New Zealand. I have begun to add sources where I can find them a few source nurseries; the few nurseries  listed so far only carry a few varieties. the best resources I have found are Mark Albert and Pat Schafer who have collected many varieties from around the world. In addition Mr. Albert has been doing some selection work for many years and several clones listed are his. Pat makes some of these varieties available thru the CRFG scion exchange in Santa Rosa

Hope this is helpful. I love pineapple guava myself and have always wondered why it was not more widely grown.



Coolidge - Menlo Growers San Jose CA
Edenvale Improved
Edenvale Supreme
Edenvale Late
Mammoth
Moore
Triumph
Nikita - One Green World OR
Nazametz
Andre
Robert
Apollo
Kaiteri
Marion
Flavia
Smilax - Menlo Growers San Jose CA
Trask
Lickver’s Pride
Albert’s Pride
Albert’s Joy
Albert’s Supreme
Besson
Abagaba
W1
W7
W9
8Ball
Beechwood
Bliss
Choiceana
David
Hehre
Hirschvogel
Pineapple Gem
Magnifica
Roundjon
Smith
Superba
Unique
Triumph
Gemini
large Oval
Chapman
Kawatiri
Jackson
Bambina
Anatoki
WikiTu
Opal Star
Duffy
Early George
White Goose
Antoinette
Apple
Arhart
Barton
Barossa Giant
Caldas Columbia
Candy
Castro Viejo
Dens Choice
Doris Cotton
Golden Goose
Gracie
Huia
Kakapo
Karamea
Long
Monique
Mrs. Penny
Niza
Pounamu
E4
Premier
Ramsey
Rio Negro
Sicilla
Slor
Smilax
Snow Goose
Tagan 1
Tagan 2
Tibarosa
UN
Vilagarcia
Vista
Waingaro
Waitui
White Delight
Wikitu

Descriptors:

Anatoki
Good sized, smooth fruit with sweet, mild flavour. Compact habit. Appears to mature 2-3 weeks before Unique.

Andre
The original air-layer from Brazil has a medium to large, oblong to round fruit, rough-surfaced, light-green, thick-fleshed, few-seeded; richly flavored and very aromatic. Seedlings are upright, spreading to intermediate. Self-fertile; bears heavily. Prominent in France.

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. Flavour 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.

Bambina
A small-growing tree with small fruit, able to be eaten skin and all.

Besson
Seeds were taken from Uruguay in 1899, has small to medium, oval, smooth fruits with red or maroon cheek; thin-skinned, with medium-thick, fine-grained flesh, very juicy pulp, numerous seeds, and rich, aromatic flavour. Seedlings are upright or spreading. This is the type grown in southern India. Prominent in France.

Choiceana
Originated in Australia. Small to medium-sized, round to oval fruit, 2 to 3-1/2 inches long. Skin fairly smooth. Flavour 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. Flavour mild, indifferent quality. Tree upright and strong growing, a reliable and heavy bearer, 100% self-fertile. The most widely planted cultivar in California.

David
Has round or oval fruits with skin of sweet and agreeable flavour; matures in November in Europe.

Den’s Choice
Medium to large sized fruit, oval in shape. Attractive smooth, light green skin. Strong aromatic flavour with good sugar-acid balance. Medium vigour tree, moderately compact and easy to manage. Harvest April to May. Evergreen


Edenvale Improved Coolidge
Originated in Santa Cruz, California, by Frank Serpa of Edenvale Nurseries. Large, oblong fruit of very good to excellent flavour and quality. Ripens in October. Tree slow growing. Self-fertile, precocious and productive. Grows best in climates similar to cool, coastal areas of southern California.

Edenvale Late
From Edenvale Nurseries. Medium-sized, oblong fruit of very good to excellent flavour 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 flavour 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. Flavour 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.

Hehre
It is reported that a man named H. Hehre of Los Angeles got seeds from Argentina and among the seedlings he raised there was one that seemed superior to the others and was earlier bearing. It became known as the ‘Hehre’ variety. The fruit is large, slender-pyriform, sometimes curved; yellow-green, with thin skin, finely granular flesh, abundant, very juicy pulp, fairly numerous and larger than ordinary seeds, sweet but not aromatic flavor; seedlings erect, compact, vigorous, with lush foliage but only moderately fruitful.

Huia
Heavy, regular yielder of nice looking fruit. Flowers early. Fruit matures about the same time as Apollo.

Kaiteri
Prolific early cropper with large smooth fruit on a vigorous tree. Appears to mature 2-3 weeks before
Unique.

Kakapo
Medium to large size fruit with good shelf life and stores well. Mild, sweet refreshing taste with wide
appeal. Fruit shape is blocky oval. Mid season cultivar. Easy picking due to naturally good, open tree habit.

Kakariki
Exceptionally sweet and large very early fruit. Appears to mature 4 weeks before Unique.

Karamea
Produces a heavy crop of consistent sized fruit. Mid to late season flowering and fruiting. Waingaro the suggested pollinator.

Kawatiri
This feijoa has sweet fruit, which are a good consistent size. It produces a heavy crop early to midseason. Waitui is the suggested pollinator.

Magnifica
A selected seedling with very large fruits of inferior 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 flavour 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.

Monique
Cold tolerant. Bears when young.

Moore
Large, flavoursome fruit. Ripens in midseason. Very vigorous plant. Recommended for California.

Marion
Frost hardy. Self fertile but will produce better if planted with some company. Smooth skinned fruit with a mild flavour. Quite vigorous and eventually forms a large shrub.

Nazemetz
Originated in San Diego, California, by Alexander Nazemetz. Large, pear-shaped fruit, averaging 3 ounce in weight. Side walls moderately thin. Pulp translucent and sweet. Flavour 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.

Opal Star
Classic shaped, smooth, dark green skinned fruit medium to large in size. Flesh is smooth and juicy and very aromatic. One of our reliable mid season maturing varieties. Grows naturally into a strong, compact tree requiring little pruning. Heavy cropping. Stores well. Some fruit thinning may be necessary.

Pineapple Gem
Originated in Azusa, California, 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.

Pounamu
Early season selection with smooth, dark green (greenstone/pounamu), attractive, medium size fruit. Flesh is moderately smooth, juicy and with pleasant flavour. Stores well. Trees has an upright to spreading habit with moderate vigour.

Robert
Medium-size, very uniform oval fruits, the flesh is very juicy but somewhat gritty, the flavour is mild. A very early ripening cultivar, maturing its fruit up to 2 months earlier than most other cultivars. A heavy-cropping tree once well established, it develops undesirable russet leaves. If not cross-pollinated abundantly, it produces hollow fruit which cannot be distinguished externally from good fruits.

Roundjon
Has oval or rounded fruits, somewhat rough-skinned and red-blushed; of agreeable flavour; matures in November in Europe.

Smith
This cultivar produces reliable and abundant crops of medium to large fruits in the Pacific Northwest. Possibly suitable for the mild areas of Britain.

Superba
Has round to slightly oval, medium smooth, medium to small fruits of good flavour; it is partially (33%) self-incompatible. The plant is spreading, straggly in habit and of medium vigor.

Tagan I
Very large fruit are produced early in the season. Heavy cropping.

Tagan II
The suggested pollinator for Tagan I. Slightly smaller fruit but very good flavour.

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. Flavour 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.

Unique
The only reliably self-fertile selection to date. Light green, medium to large fruit with rough skin. Flesh is smooth, soft, juicy and mildly aromatic. Excellent eating. Prolific producer from an early age. Storage life is best if fruit harvested a little early. Tree habit is upright and spreading with moderately weak branches. Heading back of branches and thinning of fruit is recommended.

Waingaro
A very heavy cropper, but there is some inconsistency in the fruit size. Very good fruit flavours. Late cropping.

Waitui
A vigorous growing plant. Very consistent fruit size. Early cropping and good flavour.

Wiki™ Tu (Anilvinkoru)
Produces very large fruit (up to 300 grams) in mid to late season. Meaty flesh with good taste and smooth texture. Stores and handles well. Ideal selection for high density plantings due to its dwarf habit. Reported as self fertile in some parts of New Zealand.

Credits: My thanks to Waimea Nurseries for some of the description information on this page.

esources
BOOKS

All About Citrus and Subtropical Fruits
Ortho Books.
Chevron Chemical Co. 1985. pp. 44-45.

Cornucopia: a Source Book of Edible Plants
Facciola, Stephen.
Kampong Publications, 1990.

Feijoas – Origins, Cultivation and Uses
Thorp, Grant and Beileski, Rod.
David Bateman Ltd, New Zealand, 2002.

Fruits of Warm Climates
Morton, Julia F.
Creative Resources Systems, Inc. 1987. pp. 367-370.

The Complete Book of Fruit Growing in Australia
Glowinski, Louis.
Hatchette Australia, 2008.

The Encyclopedia of Fruits & Nuts
Janick, Jules (Editor) and Paull, Robert E. (Editor)
CABI Publishing, 2008.

The Feijoa Recipe Book
Drabble, Wyn and Jenkins, Bruce.
Stonepress, 1999. Reprinted 2010.

Bee Culture
Chapter 9: Crop Plants and Exotic Plants – Feijoa
http://www.beeculture.com/content/pollination_handbook/feijoa.html

ON THE WEB

http://www.panui.org.nz/Managingfeijoas.htm
http://www.thegardenguru.net/edible-fruiting-tropical-plants/feijoa/
http://www.tharfield.co.nz/varieties/fei.htm
http://informedfarmers.com/feijoa/
http://www.aussiegardening.com.au/findplants/plant/Acca_sellowiana
http://www.elliotts.co.nz/feijoasgrowinginformation.html

[Epicatt2]

Thanxaheap, Mangomike!

What a super resource on feijoa and its cultivars.

Only drawback I see with these descriptions is that they do not much reflect feijoa cultivars which can easily fruit in less cool climates where there are fewer and milder chilling hours, such as where I am in Florida.

But there is a lot of info in your post to start searching with.

Paul M.
==

[Ulfr]

My brother has an old tree in what would be the equivalent of 10b or 11a. It fruits, but the fruits are not super great. I don’t know if that’s a product of low chill or just a poor cultivar/seedling.

[Ulfr]

Double post sorry.

[TonyinCC]

I noticed one of the varieties was grown in Southern India which would suggest no chill is needed at all. (At least for that variety. Good luck finding it...)

[achetadomestica]

I treid to grow some and I am in southern 9b. They never flowered for me.
I had several different types. They grew well for me no flowers.  Without
exception what I have  learned is if it grew well in 9b Florida which is different then
9b CA it would be available in all the nurseries in Florida. There is a reason why
they are not sold here.
 

[Francis_Eric]

My brother has an old tree in what would be the equivalent of 10b or 11a. It fruits, but the fruits are not super great. I don’t know if that’s a product of low chill or just a poor cultivar/seedling.

Try gathering fruit, and adding water to a pot to cover, and bring to a rolling boil
cut the rolling boil down
for 30 to 45 minutes (not 45 minutes on a rolling boil just bring to a rolling boil, and cut heat down)
do not forget to add sugar to bring out the flavor.

Sometimes that improves  flavorless fruit think Mexican Hawthorn
 one of the best fruits , but often looked down on here . Worth a try

I like making a syrup dilute as needed to save space in fridge
(but has no completely no flavor unless sugar is added syrups  filling though)

Achetadomestica
since you have a tree already not flowering
I wonder if you strip the leaves to try to make it dormant , and quit watering /feeding,
but as I know that species is a ever green ,
but they do it with temperate grapes in Florida I've read a lot about .(and other stuff).

[Francis_Eric]

A chetadomestica
At least the people on some forums make tea out of the leaves so you have that

If I had that non Flowering Fruit I would partially girdle  a branch (like apples and the trunk)and see what happens
 why not there are more branches, .

[K-Rimes]

I grow feijoa in 9b, no problem. It fruits pretty well. The fruit is low quality on my bushes. There are some really good trees around town which I may try grafting from next year - big fat torpedoes with really complex sweet flavors.

The trees in lower SB are in 10a and fruit prolifically. I don't think a ton of chilling hours are necessary for feijoa, at least from what I see here in Santa Barbara.

[Francis_Eric]

A member here has them 120 or so miles North of Tampa Growing I forgot for a moment when I wrote.
Between Oceola , and Gainsville Fl.

Says they are Grown as Neighborhood trees a lot all over.
sad to say Nurseries Usually grow for Flowers Ornamental , so maybe that's why some bad cultivars.
(or in some cases with Grafted plants sold sterile edit No relation to achetadomestica tree just saying)