Kaiteri™ Pineapple Guava (Feijoa)

Kaiteri™ Pineapple Guava is an outstanding New Zealand selection prized for its exceptionally large fruit and heavy, reliable crops. The very large fruit can weigh 225 g (½ lb) or more and has thin, edible skin, a smooth texture and excellent sweetness and flavour. An early-ripening variety with outstanding eating quality, the fruit is delicious eaten fresh or used in desserts, baking, preserves and other cooked dishes. Kaiteri™ is a good choice for those looking for a vigorous variety with exceptional fruit size and high yields. Pineapple guava, also known as Feijoa, is a temperate subtropical, evergreen shrub that offers delicious harvests of tropical tasting fruit with a guava-like flavour. Native to the cool highlands of South America, pineapple guava has become especially popular in New Zealand, where it’s grown commercially and enjoyed as a beloved backyard crop. In late spring, pineapple guavas bloom with showy white-and-crimson flowers. The flower petals are edible, and they are so sweet they taste like cotton candy. By autumn, the plant produces fragrant, egg-shaped fruits with a tropical flavour that's described as a blend of pineapple, guava, and mint. Drought-tolerant once established, pineapple guavas thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. They are cold hardy to Zone 7 (-18ºC) but treating them as a Zone 8 plant (-12ºC or warmer) will see them do better over winter. Keeping them sheltered from winter winds also helps, especially because they keep their leaves through winter. Pineapple guava shrubs are becoming increasingly popular, with a very devoted following. We offer early ripening, grafted cultivars. Common names: Feijoa, Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen, Brazilian Guavas, Fig Guavas, Guayabo Del Pais Edible: Fruit and flower petals Harvest timing: Very early (September-October, one week later than Kakariki™) Scientific name: Acca sellowiana 'Kaiteri' (previously Feijoa sellowiana) Light requirements: Full sun Full-grown size: 6.5-10' tall x 5.5-6' wide Hardiness: Zone 7 (-18ºC), but will do better in Zone 8 or warmer (above 12ºC). Pollination: Self-fertile, but cross-pollination with another variety of pineapple guava can increase yields and is recommended. Wildlife: Flowers and fruit attract birds, bees and butterflies. Origin: Native to South America. Cultivar bred in New Zealand. Noteworthy: Cultivar known for large fruit size and high yields.