Acca sellowiana
| Feijoa (Acca sellowiana) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific name | Acca sellowiana |
| Genus | Acca |
| Family | Myrtaceae |
| Order | Myrtales |
| Growth and size | Evergreen shrub or small tree; 3–7 m |
| Climate and site | Well-drained acidic to neutral soil; mild subtropical climate |
| Propagation | Fresh seed variable; cuttings or grafting for named cultivars |
| Fruit and harvest | Usually autumn; green aromatic fruit drops when mature |
Acca sellowiana is the accepted scientific name for feijoa, an evergreen shrub or small tree in the myrtle family.
Description[edit | edit source]
Feijoa is an evergreen perennial shrub or small tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), native to South America. The foliage is silvery, the flowers are edible, and the aromatic green fruit is harvested as a fresh fruit. In warm climates it may reach about 3–4.6 m with a similar spread; North Carolina Extension reports a smaller 1.5–1.8 m garden size under its conditions.[1]
The accepted genus, family, and order are Acca, Myrtaceae, and Myrtales. Feijoa sellowiana is a widely encountered former name; the accepted title is Acca sellowiana.
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Feijoa flowers and fruits best in full sun, although established plants tolerate light shade. Consistent soil moisture is important for fruit quality, but the root zone should remain well drained. In exposed sites, the evergreen shrub can also serve as a specimen, hedge, or container plant.[1]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
Use moist, well-drained soil and water deeply and regularly while fruit is developing. North Carolina Extension reports tolerance of both sandy and heavy-clay soils, but shallow roots benefit from mulch and from avoiding prolonged saturation.[1] The source does not establish a single universal soil pH, so the summary's acidic-to-neutral wording should not be read as a strict pH requirement.
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
Full sun gives the best flowering and fruiting; light shade is tolerated. The plant's evergreen foliage and dense habit can suit humid gardens, but airflow remains useful where scale occur. Humidity alone is not a substitute for drainage or regular root-zone moisture management.[1]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
Feijoa remains evergreen rather than entering a normal leafless dormancy. Cultivar harvest timing is usefully described as early, mid-season, or late in the New Zealand industry guide, but the local calendar depends on climate and selection. Keep moisture more consistent during flowering and fruit development; do not infer a universal harvest month from the New Zealand classification.[2]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Fresh seed separated from ripe fruit is the most reliable general method reported by North Carolina Extension, but seedlings are genetically variable. Summer cuttings can be rooted when propagating a named cultivar, preserving a selection more faithfully than seed.[1]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
The edible flowers are followed by aromatic green fruit. Harvest maturity is commonly judged by fruit softening or natural drop; handle fallen or fully ripe fruit carefully because quality declines after overripening. Cultivar, climate, crop load, and pollination can shift the harvest period, so the NZFGA early/mid/late grouping is more transferable than a single calendar date.[2]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
Ripe feijoa fruit is eaten fresh, while the flowers are also edible. The plant is grown both as a fruit crop and as an ornamental evergreen shrub; North Carolina Extension also lists specimen, edible-garden, container, and privacy uses.[1]
Cultivars and selections[edit | edit source]
Mainstream New Zealand varieties[edit | edit source]
New Zealand industry sources group feijoa cultivars as early, mid-season, or late; actual timing varies with region, climate, variety, and season, so these are not fixed calendar dates. The comparison below focuses on established and widely discussed selections rather than every nursery listing. Availability, plant-protection status, and recommended pollinizer combinations can change, especially outside New Zealand.[2][4] A self-fertile selection may set fruit alone, but a second cultivar flowering at the same time generally improves crop size and reliability.[3]
| Cultivar | Relative season | Fruit, flavor, and keeping | Tree, pollination, or practical note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kakariki | Very early | Large fruit with an exceptionally sweet flavor | Needs a second flowering cultivar; Waimea places it about four weeks before Unique, an approximate regional comparison.[4] |
| Kaiteri | Early | Large, smooth fruit; the crop begins before Unique and extends longer | Prolific, vigorous, and upright; needs a second flowering cultivar. Bred by Roy Hart.[2][3] |
| Anatoki | Very early | Good-sized, smooth fruit with a sweet, mild flavor | Compact habit; needs a second flowering cultivar. Reported to begin about 2–3 weeks before Unique.[2][4] |
| Unique | Very early to early | Medium to large fruit; Waimea describes rough skin with smooth, soft, juicy, mildly aromatic flesh; good keeping, especially when harvested a little early | The most consistently self-fertile selection in the cited industry guidance, but cross-pollination can still improve cropping. Upright to spreading with moderately weak branches.[2][3][4] |
| Pounamu | Early | Medium fruit with very dark green skin, aromatic rich flavor, and a good sugar-to-acid balance; stores well | Upright to spreading with moderate vigor. A useful early, dark-skinned selection; availability claims are time-sensitive.[2][4] |
| Apollo | Early-mid to mid/late, depending on source and region | Large, sweet fruit with good eating quality; some fruit is uneven | Vigorous, upright to spreading, and described as semi-self-fertile. The fruit is delicate and bruises easily, so handle it carefully.[2][3][4] |
| Kakapo | Mid-season | NZFGA describes medium fruit; Waimea describes medium-to-large fruit; blocky-oval form, mild sweet refreshing flavor, and good shelf life/storage | Naturally open tree habit that can make picking easier. Pollination requirements are not specified in the cited descriptions.[2][4] |
| Den’s Choice | Mid-season | Medium-large, very sweet, smooth, juicy fruit with mild aroma; good keeper | A useful mid-season comparison, but no cultivar-specific pollination or habit claim is established here.[2][5] |
| Mammoth | Mid-late | Medium fruit; moderately soft and juicy with a somewhat grainy texture | A second flowering cultivar can improve fruit size; Triumph is commonly recommended as a partner. NZFGA notes a high incidence of empty internal locules in its description.[2][3] |
| Opal Star | Waimea places it mid-season; NZFGA and Tui place it late | Medium to medium-large, smooth dark-green fruit with aromatic, juicy flesh; good storage is reported | Compact, slow-growing, bushy habit suitable for a home garden or hedge; heavy crops may need thinning. Do not treat an isolated hollow-center report as a universal cultivar trait.[2][4][3] |
| Triumph | Late | Medium to large oval fruit; firm skin, sharp or excellent flavor, soft juicy flesh that can be slightly gritty; stores and handles well | Strongly vigorous, especially when young. A useful second flowering cultivar for Mammoth, while Triumph itself benefits from another flowering cultivar.[2][3][4] |
| Wiki Tu (Anilvinkoru) | Mid-late to late | Very large fruit, reported up to about 300 g; mild, meaty, firm flesh with good keeping and handling | Dwarf or slow-growing tree to about 2.5 m, suitable for dense planting. Self-fertility is conditional and region-dependent; a nearby cultivar is still the safer choice. NZFGA and Waimea note that some fruit may have hollow locules.[2][3][4] |
For a long harvest, combine at least one early, one mid-season, and one late cultivar whose flowering overlaps. In New Zealand, commercial harvest is generally earlier in warmer northern districts and later in cooler districts; the same cultivar can therefore shift relative to its neighbors from one region to another.[4]
Availability note: Anatoki, Kaiteri, and Pounamu are identified as newer or protected selections in the cited New Zealand industry material, while Opal Star and Wiki Tu also carry time-sensitive protection or regional-availability qualifiers. Check current nursery stock and legal status before treating any selection as locally available.[2][4]
Photos[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ [1] North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Feijoa (accessed 24 August 2026).
- ↑ [2] NZ Feijoa Growers Association: Feijoa varieties (accessed 24 August 2026).
- ↑ [3] Tui: Feijoa variety favourites (accessed 24 August 2026).
- ↑ [4] Waimea Nurseries: Feijoa Varieties for Fruit Growers (accessed 4 October 2026).
- ↑ [5] NZ Life & Leisure: 16 feijoa varieties to plant for your ideal harvest time (accessed 4 October 2026).
Image credits[edit | edit source]
- Acca sellowiana Fruit MHNT Fronton.jpg — Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0; fruits photographed in Fronton, Haute-Garonne, France.
- Feijoa sellowiana .jpg — Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0; leaves and flowers photographed in Fronton, Haute-Garonne, France.
