The feijoa is named after a Portuguese botanist born in Brazil, João da Silva. Feijoa (pronounced fay zho uh), is a flowering evergreen plant native to Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Colombia, and Uruguay. It is cultivated as an ornamental bush or tree and for its fruit. Other names it is known by are fig guava, pineapple guava, or guavasteen.
It’s not actually a guava though, it’s actually in the myrtle family of plants. It has been grown in New Zealand since the 1920s. Now New Zealand produces over 800+ tonnes per year and is one of the largest producers of feijoa in the world.
It does have a gelatinous seed pulp like the guava and can be eaten raw like the guava. It is eaten raw by cutting it in half and scooping out the centre pulp and flesh with a spoon. It has a sweet flavour that tastes like guava and pineapple, or some people think it has hints of apple and strawberry. The flower petals are also edible. Tea made from feijoa leaves was used to treat cholera and dysentery.
Feijoa is fully ripened when it falls to the ground. It is green and is the size of a chicken egg. It is pollinated by bees, bumblebees and birds. They are also regularly eaten by birds.
It can be planted by seed, cuttings, or grafting and takes three years to produce fruit. A mature plant can produce 20-30 kg of feijoa each year. Feijoas are ripe from late March to June in the southern hemisphere, and October to December in the northern hemisphere. There are many interesting variety names such as kakapo (named after the New Zealand night parrot), and pounamu (named after New Zealand greenstone).
Feijoa is eaten raw, or used smoothies or in dessert treats like ice cream, sorbet, and lollies (candies). It is also made into sauces, relishes, chutneys, jams and jellies. It is also delicious when baked into pies, tarts, fritters, and dumplings.
Feijoa is a rich source of vitamin C with 32.9 mg per 100g and only 55 calories. Feijoa is a high fibre fruit and is rich in potassium. One Feijoa contains 418 mg of potassium. It contains polyphenols which have an anti-inflammatory effect and can protect against inflammatory bowel disease.
Can be grown in Florida also. Never eaten it but want to try. Here in Florida people plant it more as ornamental.
Never ate this fruit, it has a pretty flower,
we have it in the botanical garden in San Diego.
Good info…. 👍🤗🥰❤️