Feijoa sellowiana^[2][3] also known asAcca sellowiana (O.Berg) Burret,^[4] is a species offlowering plant in themyrtle family,Myrtaceae. It is native mainly to the highlands ofColombia, southernBrazil and the hills of northeastUruguay, but it can also be found in easternParaguay and northernArgentina.^{[5][6]: 114} It is known asquirina (lusified fromkanê kriyne^[a] by the indigenousKaingang of southern Brazil)^[6]: 111 or more commercially asfeijoa.^[b][10]

Feijoa sellowiana
Fruit
Flower
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Subfamily:	Myrtoideae
Tribe:	Myrteae
Genus:	Feijoa O.Berg
Species:	F. sellowiana
Binomial name
Feijoa sellowiana (O.Berg) O.Berg
Synonyms[2]
Acca sellowiana(O.Berg) Burret Orthostemon sellowianusO.Berg

The Colombian feijoa (Acca sellowiana), a fruit-bearing shrub of the Myrtaceae family. In Colombia, the fruit is particularly associated with the Quindío and Boyacá regions, where it thrives in the Andean highlands. It has been cultivated for centuries by the inhabitants ofTibasosa,Boyacá, considered descendants of theChibchas,Muiscas, and known for their longevity. The town of Tibasosa is renowned as the "Feijoa Capital of Colombia", hosting the annual Feijoa Festival (Festival de la Feijoa) to celebrate the fruit’s cultural and economic significance. The Tibasosa feijoa variant is prized for its high pulp content and aromatic properties, making it popular for consumption in juices, desserts, jams, and even artisanal liquors. Due to its nutritional value, rich antioxidants content and potential medicinal properties, Colombian feijoa has garnered increasing attention for both local culinary use and international agricultural research.

They are also common in gardens ofNew Zealand.^[11] It is widely cultivated as an ornamental tree and for its fruit.^[10] It is anevergreenshrub or smalltree, 1–7 metres (3.3–23.0 ft) in height.^[12] The oblong leaves are about two inches (five cm) long, dark green on the upper side and white underneath. The flowers have five whitishpetals which are puffy, possibly filled with some gas. There are about 25 dark redstamens projecting from the center.^[13]

Feijoa sellowiana Berg is from the genus which the German botanist, Ernst Berger, named afterJoão da Silva Feijó, a Portuguese naturalist, and the specific name honorsFriedrich Sellow, a German who first collected specimens ofFeijoa in southern Brazil.^[10]

Other common English names in various countries includepineapple guava,fig guava andguavasteen, although it is not a trueguava.^[10]

The fruit matures in autumn and the skin is green. Its shape is roughly that of aprolate spheroid, and it is about the size of a chicken egg. It is sweet, slightly tart, with an aromatic bouquet reminiscent of tropical fruits such aspassion fruit,cherry guava, orpineapple. The flesh is juicy and is divided into a clear, gelatinous seed pulp and a firmer, slightly granular, opaque flesh nearer the skin.^[10] The fruit falls to the ground when ripe and at its fullest flavour, but it may be picked from the tree prior to falling to prevent bruising.

The fruit pulp resembles the closely relatedguava, having a gritty texture. The feijoa pulp is used in some natural cosmetic products as anexfoliant. Feijoa fruit has a distinctive, potent smell that resembles that of a fine perfume. The aroma is due tomethyl benzoate and related compounds in the fruit.^[14]

In Brazil, it is naturally found aroundAraucaria angustifolia forests at altitudes more than 900 metres.^[6]: 114 The plant is a warm-temperate,subtropicalplant that also will grow in thetropics, but requires at least 50 hours of winter chilling to fruit, and is frost-tolerant. When grown from seed, feijoas are noted for slow growth during their first year or two, and young plants, though cold tolerant, can be sensitive to high wind.

In theNorthern Hemisphere, the species has been cultivated in theUnited Kingdom^[15] and as far north as westernScotland, but under such conditions it does not fruit every year, as winter temperatures below approximately −9 °C (16 °F) kill the flower buds. Summer temperatures above 32 °C (90 °F) may also have an adverse effect upon fruit set. Feijoas are somewhat tolerant of drought and salt in soils, though fruit production can be adversely affected. Tolerant to partial shade, regular watering is essential while the fruit is maturing.

The main cultivation areas are not located in the original region of the feijoa; they are found in New Zealand, the United States (California), and Colombia, among other countries. Some cultivars ofF. sellowiana, widely distributed internationally, derive from a small number of introductions of “Uruguayan type” plants. In 1890, ProfessorEdouard André introduced a specimen or a few specimens of the species from Uruguay to France, which were the origin of the seedlings introduced in California, and later reached New Zealand. Subsequently, Colombia introduced materials from various parts of the world.^[16]

Somegrafted cultivars of feijoa are self-fertile. Most are not and require apollinator. Seedlings may or may not be of usable quality; and may or may not be self-fertile. Feijoas will mature into a sprawly shrub but can be kept successfully as a large container plant, though accommodations will need to be made for the width of the plants, and the need to encourage new growth for fruit production.

Feijoas are occasionally found as landscape plants inTexas,Florida,California, and the maritimePacific Northwest. They can succeed in greenhouses in temperate parts of the United States; and have been grown in-ground as fruiting trees on the United States east coast in coastalGeorgia andSouth Carolina as well as in California. Other regions of the United States such as the southernmostAppalachian Mountains, and the immediate coastal region fromNorth Carolina toDelaware would warrant further investigation.

The fruit has been widely grown inNew Zealand since the 1920s, and it has become a popular garden tree.^[11] It is commonly available in season from March to June.^[17][18] In New Zealand, thepollinators of this plant are bees, bumblebees, and medium-sized birds. Thesilvereye is a pollinator in the cooler parts of the South Island; theblackbird and theIndian myna, which feeds on the sweet, fleshy flower petals, are pollinators further north. In some areas where the species has been introduced, however, the trees have been unproductive due to lack of pollinators. The shrub has very few insect pests, althoughguava moth is a problem inNorthland, New Zealand.^[19]

In theSouth Caucasus, feijoa has been cultivated in the southern coastal region ofAzerbaijan since 1928; cultivation in neighboringGeorgia has gradually increased to about 988 hectares (2,440 acres) in 1986.^[20]

Ripe fruit is prone to bruising; difficulty maintaining the fruit in good condition for any length of time, along with the short period of optimum ripeness and full flavor, probably explains why feijoas are not exported frequently, and are typically sold close to where they are grown. However,intercontinental shipping of feijoa by sea or air has been successful.^[10]

Because of the relatively short shelf life, storekeepers need to be careful to replace older fruit regularly to ensure high quality. In some countries, they also may be purchased at roadside stalls, often at a lower price.

Feijoas may be cool-stored for approximately a month and still have a few days of shelf life at optimum eating maturity.^[10] They also may be frozen for up to one year without a loss in quality.

100 grams (3.5 oz) of raw feijoa provides 55calories and is 13%carbohydrates, 9-16% sugars,^[6]: 116 and 1% each offat andprotein. The raw fruit is a rich source ofvitamin C, providing 40% of theDaily Value, but supplies no othermicronutrients in significant amount.

Although the skin is edible, the fruit usually is eaten by cutting it in half, then scooping out the pulp with a spoon. The fruit has a juicy, sweet seed pulp and slightly gritty flesh nearer the skin.^{[citation needed]} The flower petals are edible.^[10] The most common uses are eating raw, desserts such as sorbet, sweet pies, crumbles, or in salads. They are regularly consumed by birds.^[23][24][25]

•  
  The crisp, spicy-sweet tasting petals of feijoa flowers are edible.
•  
  Spread made of mashed raw feijoa
•  
  A display of feijoas for sale inAuckland, New Zealand

Numerous cultivars of feijoa have been developed. These include:^{[citation needed]}

• Anatoki
• Apollo
• Bambina
• Barton
• Den's Choice
• Choiceana
• Tibasosa (grown in the "Feijoa's capital of Colombia: Tibasosa)
• Coolidge
• Edenvale Improved Coolidge
• Edenvale Late
• Edenvale Supreme
• Gemini
• Kaiteri
• Kakariki (a cultivar developed by Waimea Nurseries, New Zealand, large flavor-filled fruit, named for theMāori word for green)
• Mammoth – named for its relatively massive fruits
• Moore
• Nazemetz
• Opal Star
• Pineapple Gem
• Smilax – mid-sized, spherical fruits with smooth texture
• Trask
• Triumph
• Unique (NZ cultivar, particularly tolerant of clay soils, and self pollinating)
• Vista Long – noted for the long shape of its fruits, developed inVista, CA
• Wiki Tu

• Feijoa: Plants for a Future
• Le feijoa, à voir et à manger dansJardins de France N°647
• https://www.semana.com/turismo/articulo/el-pueblo-de-boyaca-conocido-como-la-capital-de-la-feijoa-como-llegar-y-que-hacer-en-este-lugar/202531/
• https://situr.boyaca.gov.co/atractivo-turistico/productos-a-base-de-feijoa/