Tasting my first feijoa (acca sellowiana)!

[huertasurbanas]

It was great my surprise when I went out today in the late afternoon to the front yard to show the fruits of feijoa to my nephew and instead of being hanging like several months ago, were on the floor. Sign that had ripened and were ready to be devoured!




The "guayabo del país" (so-called "false guava", feijoa, etc.) is very important to me for several reasons: it was the first indigenous fruit I got, withstands -11 º C, so it can be cultivated in Junin even outside the urban environment ( in a field) and is grown commercially in several countries such as Australia or New Zealand, where they have produced varieties with highly desirable characteristics.

My feijoas (3 plants in garden soil and another ones in familiar's pots) were obtained from seed, so the flavor, size and other characteristics of the fruit are not identical, thus I could expect any surprises, even the fruit could be ugly.

In other countries they call it "pineaple guava" (feijoa), but I did not find any resemblance to the taste of pineapple in my fruits.


The size of the fruits of this plant is not the greatest, but not bad.
I cut it in half and prepared a spoon to remove the pulp:






It has several subtle seeds, pulp oxidizes rapidly changing color to light brown from crema.
Perfume is like a cross between kiwi, banana and lemon, the flavor seemed very similar to kiwi, sweet, sour, nice! It also reminded me a bit to red arazá (SG).



I was not disappointed at all. It's a strong flavor without being too, with moderate acidity but not leave you indifferent, say it's a bit less tasty than the red arazá (Psidium cattleianum), but it has nothing to envy. The pulp had a texture similar to apple perhaps, firm. Regarding arazá, has the advantage that the seeds of feijoa are very tiny.

I liked the taste more than the kiwi, but I will have to try other times to "get it" better, imagine a feijoa jam would be very appetizing, as in juices or other preparations, but mostly I'm excited by the fact that the fruit is good to eat naturally.

One more detail: the shell is not bad, has a more pronounced flavor and bitter taste very similar to the petals of the flower (which are delicious), but identical: more good news! Next time I'll try whole shell and all.

[Pancrazio]

It's a very interesting fruit for subtropical climates. The launch of this fruit here failed for a number of reasons, expecially marketing ones. The plants of Feijoa are common, but it's pretty hard to find improved varieties.

[forumfool]

They grow great here in norcal, as shrubs or trees. They are sold as ornamental here and people just put the fruit out with the grass clippings for the city to pick up! I get my fill from these piles every fall. I have some named varieties but they haven't fruited yet. Beautiful plant, no pest/disease problems, tasty petals as mentioned.

[huertasurbanas]

have you ever tried a nasty feijoa?

[Raulglezruiz]

Very nice pics,  I had a feijoa in the past but never set fruit for me , I guess I don't have enough chilling hours here, I've tasted the fruit and I like it!

[ScottR]

Yes Feijoa's are a great staple food for us in Calif. all ways dependable and abundant cropper! have been collecting a few of bigger and best tasting varieties around! Pretty quick from seed to fruiting maybe 3-4yrs.

[mikesid]

Ive grown them here in So Fl, hand pollinated and it was still potted up. I think I got about 10-15 fruits on a 15 gallon plant. I moved 5 miles further south and put it in the ground. Hopefully I will get more fruits soon. I really enjoyed the flavor and texture.

[PedalaiMaster]

I have one of those, mine is the "Cooledgei" variety( Feijoa Sellowiana var. Cooledgei). It is only 5 gal. and has only set like 5 fruits in its lifetime, my best friend has a mature one though so I will try getting some scionwood. Regards-PM

[Xeno]

have you ever tried a nasty feijoa?

Yes. All of them.

I'm not a big fan of eating guavas.

[huertasurbanas]

have you ever tried a nasty feijoa?

Yes. All of them.

And they were from named cultivars?

[huertasurbanas]

I tried them when they had fallen from the tree.

Do they become even more palatable if you leave them a few days after falling? (ask to see if they may be more palatable, but I really like them as they are now)

How long endure without getting too ripe?

[Xeno]

And they were from named cultivars?

Vietnamese white giant and standard pineapple guava. The taste just doesn't fit well with me. I hate the smell of the white guava and when I eat it I later burp it up and the smell comes back.

[fruitlovers]

have you ever tried a nasty feijoa?

Yes. All of them.

I'm not a big fan of eating guavas.

FYI feijoas are not really guavas, despite common name.

[fruitlovers]

have you ever tried a nasty feijoa?

Don't think there is any fruit on the planet that you won't find someone that thinks they are nasty.

[huertasurbanas]

have you ever tried a nasty feijoa?

Don't think there is any fruit on the planet that you won't find someone that thinks they are nasty.

Ok, but I asked this because some spanish people in the infojardin.com forum used to talk about their seedling feijoas as tasting like "grandma perfume", so they wanted to find some named cultivar.

And now, I tried these seedlings feijoas from my city and I think they taste good; also,

I read a lot about the feijoa and studies that have been done in Uruguay and they talk about a huge change in the properties of the fruit and customs of tree growth, so I'm sure that the variation between a tree and the other must be significant.

perhaps the genetic material that is in Junín is good (though certainly not diverse) and simply they taste good.

So, anyone else (not a "hater" ;-) ) here tried feijoas from different genetic sources and were very different in taste? some had bad taste?

[fruitlovers]

I've had feijoas in both California and New Zealand. The ones in New Zealand were giant by comparison and much better in taste. I think climate might play a role also. In very hot climate the taste might get more concentrated and strong, and sometimes objectionable.

[PltdWorld]

I picked up two "Coolidge" feijoa shrubs from Home Depot about 4 years ago - they were grown by LaVerne and in #5 pots.  One has a very round fruit, about the size of a golf ball (some bigger), the fruit has a very strong "perfume" smell and the taste is not something I care for.  The other has elongated fruit that can reach 4-5" long, the fruit is very sweet with just a hint of "perfume" aroma.


PHOTO FROM 2009.  Transplanted from #5 containers.


PHOTO FROM 2013.  Both hedges are over 4' tall and more than 5' wide and very prolific producers.


PHOTO OF FLOWERS.  The flowers on both specimens are delicious - the pedals are delicate and taste like pure nectar.


PHOTO OF ROUND FRUIT.  Some of the fruit are perfectly round - but nowhere near the oval shape of the other plant.

[fruitlovers]

Your photo of the flowers really brings out their beauty!

[BMc]

Some are just too aromatic - like eating potpuri - but some have a great rich flavour. A few of the nicer less-aromatic high% jelly types here can clock 400g. I recently met a local grower who has done about 8 generations of breeding for the warmer subtropics. I had to ask if he could try crossing them with a turtle to breed a fruit fly resistant variety, as these are worse than Hawaiian Guava for QFLY.

[huertasurbanas]

PltdWorld, very nice photos, but i dont understan why the fruits of these trees are different if they are fomr the same named cultivar!?

BMc: 400g feijoa? wow, I would really like to grow that!

what are the chances that a seed grown feijoa from a big fruit bear a great big fruit too?

Yesterday I tried a feijoa ice cream from the best ice cream shop in my town (it was incredible) and they decorate it in the refrigerator with the whole fruit: the fruits of which were twice the size of mine.

if I bring a fruit to my house and I take the seeds will I get opportunities to produce a big fruit?

[PltdWorld]

They were grown by LaVerne and sold to Home Depot - so it's possible that either:

1) they were seedlings that did not come true to the parent
2) they were mislabeled

Here is some info from CRFG on varieties:

Coolidge - fits the description of my oblong fruit, but taste is better than "indifferent"
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.

Choiceana - guessing this may be my round one?  Or some hybrid.
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.


I think I'm going to try this one next...

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.

[puglvr1]

I have a large tree (seedling) planted 6 years ago that blooms a lot every year and has yet to give me more than 2 fruits,lol... I've tried hand pollinating it and still nothing! I also have a bush PG several feet away since I read they needed 2 to help pollinate. The problem is the large tree always blooms a few weeks ahead of the bush...so it makes it hard to cross pollinate each other when only one is blooming at a time 

Right now the tree is starting to bloom but the smaller bush is barely getting flower buds...not good~

[huertasurbanas]

Yesterday I tried this feijoa that a man gave me, I do not know what is the source tree, but larger fruit than mine, weighs 60g and the taste was not good.

It had white soapy taste ...

I checked it's true what they say about Feijoas: there is much variability!

[Jack, Nipomo]

I have had for years Mammoth and Triumph in addition to Coolidge and Coolidge Improved, and several of the Edenvale cultivars.  All are grafted and grow with little care, producing great quantities of fruit.  It is my understanding that Triumph and Mammoth are commercial varieties in New Zealand that were originally selected by Edenvale Farms in CA.  The history behind the development and selection of feijoa is lost to time.  Both Mammoth and Triumph are large, tasty, with no perfume.  If left laying on the ground too long, feijoa will become perfume-like and less tasty than when fresh.  A slight softness is ideal, too much and it becomes compost.

Cultivar list:  http://feijoafeijoa.wordpress.com/cultivars/

[huertasurbanas]

I have had for years Mammoth and Triumph in addition to Coolidge and Coolidge Improved, and several of the Edenvale cultivars.  All are grafted and grow with little care, producing great quantities of fruit.  It is my understanding that Triumph and Mammoth are commercial varieties in New Zealand that were originally selected by Edenvale Farms in CA.  The history behind the development and selection of feijoa is lost to time.  Both Mammoth and Triumph are large, tasty, with no perfume.  If left laying on the ground too long, feijoa will become perfume-like and less tasty than when fresh.  A slight softness is ideal, too much and it becomes compost.

Cultivar list:  http://feijoafeijoa.wordpress.com/cultivars/

Thanks Jack, in the case of my trees obtained from seed ideal flavor is achieved after 3 days of the fruit fall.

I'd love to get a named cultivar feijoa, but here in Argentina is impossible, so that the only thing left is for someone to send me a branch one day and grafting.