Feijoa

Feijoa sellowiana

1. Identification and origin

The feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana O. Berg), currently classified as Acca sellowiana (O. Berg) Burret, belongs to the Myrtaceae family. It is a shrubby or tree species native to the high-altitude subtropical regions of southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and northern Argentina. It occurs naturally in mild-climate environments, with cool winters and moderate summers, and has been introduced and cultivated in various regions of the world, including New Zealand, California, the Mediterranean Europe and the Caucasus.

2. Economic importance

The feijoa is valued for its aromatic fruits, used for fresh consumption, jams, juices and gourmet products. New Zealand is the main producing country and responsible for most of the modern varietal selection. Commercial interest has increased in Mediterranean regions due to its good climatic adaptation, hardiness and potential for niche markets.

3. Botanical characterisation

An evergreen shrub or small tree, slow-growing, reaching 3–6 m in height. The leaves are opposite, leathery, dark green on the upper surface and silvery on the underside. The flowers are large, showy, with white petals and abundant red stamens, and are edible. The fruits are oval berries, with green skin and aromatic, gelatinous, sweet-acidic flesh, with small and numerous seeds.

4. Soil and climate requirements

It adapts well to subtropical and Mediterranean climates, tolerating light frosts and moderately dry summers. It prefers well-drained soils of medium texture, rich in organic matter and with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. It is sensitive to prolonged waterlogging but tolerates some dryness once established. Flowering and fruiting benefit from cool winters and the absence of extreme heat.

5. Main pests

• Fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata): egg-laying and internal damage to the fruits.
• Scale insects (Coccoidea): sap sucking and honeydew production.
• Mites (Tetranychus spp.): chlorosis and reduced vigour.
• Occasional weevils and lepidopterans: foliar damage and perforations.

6. Main diseases

• Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.): dark spots on fruits and leaves.
• Post-harvest rots (Botrytis cinerea, Rhizopus spp.): deterioration of stored fruits.
• Cankers and woody necroses (opportunistic fungi): associated with wounds and water stress.
• Root diseases in poorly drained soils (Phytophthora spp.).

7. General crop management

This includes choosing varieties adapted to the local climate, planting in well-drained soils, moderate but regular irrigation during fruiting, balanced fertilisation, formative pruning and canopy aeration, monitoring of pests and diseases, and harvesting at the ideal ripeness point, since the fruits continue to ripen after natural drop.

Bibliographic references

• CABI Invasive Species Compendium. Acca sellowiana – datasheets.
• Morton, J. (1987). Feijoa. In: Fruits of Warm Climates (pp. 393–398).
• Thorp, G., & Bieleski, R. (2002). Feijoa: Botany, production and uses. New Zealand Feijoa Growers Association.
• Fischer, G., et al. (2018). Feijoa (Acca sellowiana): A review of its biology and cultivation. Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Hortícolas.
• EPPO Global Database. Acca sellowiana – pests and diseases.