Feijoa, Feijoa

Feijoa?

Say “Fay-oh-uh”…

Fay-oh-uh, Fay-oh-uh, bo boa

Banana fana fo foa

Fee-fi-mo moa

Fay-oh-uh

 

Feijoas, Acca sellowiana, (also known as pineapple guava, Guavasteen, Brazilian guava, fig guava and Guayabo del Pais), are little-known aromatic fruits usually had by growing your own.

Feijoas have grown wild since ancient times in regions of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. An archaeological dig in Santa Catarina, Brazil reveals where Southern Je peoples may have first consumed feijoa. The shrub was named by German botanist Ernst Berger after Portuguese naturalist Joao da Silva Feijo.

Fruits spread naturally throughout South America through animals and migrating peoples. German naturalist Fredrich Sellow was one of the first to collect fruits in Brazil and Uruguay in 1815. In the mid-to-late 1800s, Swiss botanist, M. de Wette, grew the species in Europe.

Horticulturist Dr. Edouard Andre grew feijoa seedlings in his garden (1890) which eventually spread across the Riviera to Spain, France and Italy. In 1901, Dr. F. Franceschi of Santa Barbara, CA, acquired seedlings that he sent to Florida.

In the early 20^th century, feijoas thrived in New Zealand and are sometimes referred to as the fruit representative of that island. They’re also grown in Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the US.

Though not true guavas, feijoas are in the same family and are consumed similarly to them. The word “feijoa” generally describes many varieties within this species.

This hardy-evergreen shrub typically grows to 10 to 15 feet tall. Leaf tops are dark-glossy-green with undersides that are silvery and fuzzy. Leave unpruned for a perfect privacy hedge birds in which birds love to nest, or shape to a single trunk or espalier.

Having bi-sexual flowers, you’ll need two or more named types for fruit production. Birds and Mason bees are great pollinators, but hand pollination is best.

Whether grown for fruit or display, flowers explode like sparklers with brilliant red stamens and puffy-white sepals to create a wonderful show. Their fragrance exceeds even that of the fruit that follows.

Skins are dullish-green with leathery-smooth to pebbly-rough textures. Whether pear-shaped or round, fruits the size of a hen’s egg, and have creamy-white, slightly granular flesh with a jelly-like center pulp and edible seeds. They are rich with vitamins C, A, K and E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, folate, fiber and flavonoids.

Feijoas’ fragrant taste is often described as minty-pineapple, strawberry, and guava. Their edible flowers’ sweet, thick, white marshmallow-like sepals melt in your mouth like cotton candy.

Plant feijoas in a wind-protected, well-drained area with afternoon filtered light. Being heavy feeders, maintain and replenish their nutrients with rich compost and balanced organic fertilizer. Although drought tolerant, regular irrigation yields better fruit production and mulching protects roots.

Harvesting is the best part. Spread tarps, cloths, or nets to catch ripe fruit that naturally falls from the plant. Use in 2-3 days before the flavor deteriorates or refrigerate. Consume raw by spooning pulp from within the skin, or freeze, dry, or make preserves or sauces. Use in cooking and baking and to make sorbet, pie filling and custards. Chop and slice for salsas and salads. Substitute for apples in recipes.

If you’re seeking a more exotic-tasting fruit or tweaking up your tropical landscape, try a feijoa to add just the right sweetness and spark.

 

Resources:

Specialty Produce

Feijoas Information and Facts

American Health and Diet Project

Foods Indigenous to the Western Hemisphere

Feijoa Feijoa

Feijoa facts

One Green World

Pineapple Guava Growing Guide

Plant Sources:

One Green World

http://www.onegeenworld.com

Raintree Nursery

http://wwwraintreenursery.com

 

Recipe:

Feijoa Mango Freeze

3 cups feijoa, peeled and cut in pieces

2 large mangos. Cut halves off the seed, then remove flesh from skin.

¼ cup agave or honey

½ cup Meyer lemon juice

1½ cups vanilla Greek yogurt (nonfat or low fat)

Puree feijoa and mango together in a food processor. Pour puree into a large bowl, then mix in the agave, lemon juice and yogurt. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to directions or in a metal cake pan in freezer. If using a cake pan, remove mixture when partially frozen and stir to break up crystals. Serve soft frozen with slices of feijoa and mango cubes. Pack in freezer containers to store.