(05.06.03) E2741
DESCRIPTION: It is an evergreen shrub or small tree up to 4 m in height and about 2.5 m wide. It is in leaf all year, in southern Europe it flowers in May-July, and the seeds ripen from October to January. USE: The fruits are edible and of good taste. The fruit is edible raw or cooked. It has a delicious aromatic taste, somewhat like a cross between a pineapple and a strawberry. Flowers are edible raw. The petals are sweet, crisp and delicious, they taste more like a fruit than many fruits. They should be harvested just after they begin to soften. Grown as an ornamental. In Europe it is suitable for gold, temperate and warm wintergartens, balconies and terraces. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Pineapple guava, Feijoo. FURTHER INF: Found in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Uruguay. Also found in New Zealand, United States and Europe. In Europe it is found along hedges, in woodland, by sunny edges, walls, south walls, and by west walls. Suitable for winter temperatures between 2-18°C. May not survive temperatures below -8 to -10°C. In Kew Gardens, London it has survived down to -15°C when fully dormant. Fruits can suffer damage from autumn frosts, though the flavour develops better at low temperatures. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure and salt winds. It tolerates some drought. |
