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Acca sellowiana - (O.Berg.)Burret.

Feijoa

Author	(O.Berg.)Burret.	Botanical references	11, 200
Family	Myrtaceae	Genus	Acca
Synonyms	Feijoa sellowiana - (O.Berg.)O.Berg. Orthostemon sellowianus - O.Berg.
Known Hazards	None known
Range	S. America - Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina.
Habitat	Tropical and sub-tropical highlands below 1,000 metres.
Edibility Rating	4 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	0 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Shrub growing to 3m by 3m at a slow rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Hedge; South Wall By; West Wall By;

Cultivars: (as above except)
'Gemini'
'Mammoth'
'Robert'
'Smith'

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers; Fruit.

Fruit - raw or cooked[3, 11, 183]. A delicious aromatic taste, somewhat like a cross between a pineapple and a strawberry[183]. The fruit is best eaten raw but it can also be made into pies, cakes, puddings, jams, jellies etc[183]. Fruits can suffer damage from autumn frosts, though the flavour develops better at low temperatures[200]. The fruit is up to 7.5cm long[200]. Flowers - raw[3, 160, 166]. The petals are sweet, crisp and delicious, they taste more like a fruit than many fruits[K]. They should be harvested just after they begin to soften[183] (not sure that I agree with this last sentence[K])

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None known

Other Uses

Hedge.

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 details

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].

Propagation

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].

Cultivars

'Gemini'

The fruit is small to medium, egg-shaped with a very smooth, thin dark-green skin with a heavy bloom[183]. The flavour and texture are excellent[183]. An early ripening cultivar, maturing its fruit in early autumn in California[183]. An upright, spreading, moderately vigorous tree reaching 2.5 metres in height[183]. It is high-yielding, but only partially self-fertile and requires cross-pollination for best yields[183]. 'Apollo' is a good pollinator[183].

'Mammoth'

The large, round to oval fruit can weigh up to 230 grammes[183]. The skin is somewhat wrinkled, the flesh thick and somewhat gritty with a very good flavour and quality[183]. It matures early to mid season[183]. An upright, strong-growing tree to 3 metres tall, it is self-fertile but bears larger fruit if cross-pollinated[183].

'Robert'

Medium-size, very uniform oval fruits, the flesh is very juicy but somewhat gritty, the flavour is mild[183]. A very early ripening cultivar, maturing its fruit up to 2 months earlier than most other cultivars[183]. A heavy-cropping tree once well established, it develops undesireable russet leaves[183]. If not cross-pollinated abundantly, it produces hollow fruit which cannot be distinguished externally from good fruits[183].

'Smith'

This cultivar produces reliable and abundant crops of medium to large fruits in the Pacific Northwest[183] and so might be suitable for the mild areas of Britain[K].

'Triumph'

'Unique'

A large, oval fruit with a smooth light-green skin, the flesh is very smooth in texture, the flavour good[183]. An early ripening form, it is excellent as a fresh dessert fruit, and also for canning[183]. A vigorous upright, spreading tree to 2.5 metres tall, it is self-fertile and precocious, bearing regularly and heavily[183].

Links

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[3] Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7
A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[59] Thurston. Trees and Shrubs in Cornwall. 0
Trees and shrubs that succeed in Cornwall based on the authors own observations. Good but rather dated.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[160] Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987. 0
Fascinating reading, this is an annual publication. Some reports do seem somewhat exaggerated though.

[166] Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990
A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[184] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1900 species and cultivars.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[202] Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990 ISBN 0-670-82929-3
Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.

[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Acca sellowiana

Prince Amdo Wed Mar 20 13:53:47 2002

Link: set our tribal forests free landreform/tribal forests/permaculture

Acca sellowiana

Ivan Viehoff Wed Mar 12 15:14:58 2003

See attached link which gives the self fertility/sterility of different cultivars. Hand pollination may be required.

Link: California Rare Fruit Growers Fact sheet on Feijoa varieties

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