Feijoas are a delightful addition to any garden. These versatile evergreen plants are ideal for fruiting gardens, orchards, or even as a hedge. Feijoa fruit offers a unique blend of flavours reminiscent of pineapple, guava, and strawberry. Whether eaten fresh, added to baking, blended into smoothies, or made into jam, feijoas are a treat you’ll love to grow and enjoy.
Pollination: Do Feijoas Need a Friend?
While some feijoa varieties are self-fertile, most are semi-self-fertile, meaning they will produce a little fruit independently but benefit significantly from a pollination partner. For the best harvest, plant two varieties or pair your chosen tree with a self-fertile option like Unique to maximise yield.
Planting & Fertilising Feijoas
Planting
Choose a sunny, well-drained location. Dig a hole twice the size of the pot and enrich the soil with compost and sheep pellets to promote healthy growth. Once backfilled, ensure the plant sits at the same height as it did in the pot. Plant on a slight mound to improve drainage for clay or poorly drained soils.
Fertilising
Feeding your feijoa regularly ensures larger crops. In summer, apply citrus and fruit Tree Fertiliser for garden-planted trees. If your tree is in a pot, use Oderings Total Replenish for an extra nutrient boost. For natural gardeners, Dave's Growth Booster Sheep Pellets or Ocean Grow fish fertiliser provide excellent results.
Popular Feijoa Varieties
With so many feijoa varieties, there’s a perfect tree for every garden. Here are some top picks:
- Unique: A self-fertile favourite producing medium-sized, soft, juicy fruit early in the season. Perfect for small gardens. Height: 2m.
- Takaka: A new favourite with large, tropical-flavoured fruit. Self-fertile and great for cooler regions like Christchurch. Height: 3m.
- Golden Goose: Known for its palm-sized fruit and ornamental silver-green leaves. A stunning addition to any garden.
- Bambino: Compact with edible-skinned fruit, making it perfect for kids and small hedges.
- Apollo: Vigorous grower with medium to large, smooth-skinned fruit. Early season. Height: 4m.
- Kaiteri: Very early ripening with sweet, oval-shaped fruit. Height: 2-4m.
- Mammoth: A large-fruited variety perfect for desserts and jams. Height: 3m.
- Opal Star: Compact and bushy, ideal for hedging, with late-season aromatic fruit. Height: 2-4m.
Expert Tip for Maximising Your Feijoa Harvest
For abundant fruit, ensure your feijoas are fed well during the growing season. Lack of food or a pollination partner is often the reason behind low yields. Prune lightly to maintain shape, and plant multiple varieties to guarantee a delicious harvest.
Feijoas are easy to grow and provide year-round interest with their lush foliage and showy flowers. Whether you’re planting them for their fruit, as a hedge, or for their ornamental beauty, feijoas are a must-have for your garden.
