The Genus Acca
Family Myrtaceae
This is a small genus of shrubs and trees from warm climates. To my knowledge, only one species (A. sellowiana) is available in the nursery trade.
The myrtle family, Myrtaceae, ranges through Africa, Asia, Australia, North America and South America. It includes some interesting and valuable garden plants, like pineapple guava (Acca,) bottlebrush (Callistemon,) eucalyptus (Eucalyptus,) cherry of the Rio Grande (Eugenia,) myrtle (Myrtus) and the edible guava (Psidium.) The spice trees, allspice (Pimenta) and cloves (Syzigium) are in this family.
The myrtle family, Myrtaceae, ranges through Africa, Asia, Australia, North America and South America. It includes some interesting and valuable garden plants, like pineapple guava (Acca,) bottlebrush (Callistemon,) eucalyptus (Eucalyptus,) cherry of the Rio Grande (Eugenia,) myrtle (Myrtus) and the edible guava (Psidium.) The spice trees, allspice (Pimenta) and cloves (Syzigium) are in this family.
Acca sellowiana (syn. Feijoa sellowiana)
Acca sellowiana
pineapple guava
This is a large evergreen shrub or small tree from South America that grows to about fifteen feet tall. While it is sold often as a shrub, it may be trained easily into an attractive small tree with an tan and orange, flaking bark. Leaves are dark gray green with silver-gray undersides. Lavender and pink summer flowers are about an inch across. They are ornamental but may be somewhat hidden in the foliage. The thick flower petals are edible with a sweet, spicy flavor. A friend in Jacksonville, Florida, Cathy Murphy, reports watching a mockingbird pluck petals and feed them to its young. The green fruits are edible, too. The taste is sweet and tart, somewhat like pineapple, with a distinct guava undertone. Large-fruited forms have been selected but named varieties are not available in local nurseries. Individual plants (or several plants of a single clone) will bear a few fruit. They fruit heavily if two or more clones are available for cross pollination. It grows in full sun to part shade and is adaptable to soils. It is fairly drought tolerant once established but grows faster with some moisture. Various reports state that it is sensitive to salt to moderately tolerant. Numerous references list it as suitable for zones 8 to 10.
This plant is available in local nurseries. Plants may be propagated by seeds, layering, summer cuttings and grafting.
My plants flower from mid-April into June. New foliage appears first in late March and the plant can continue growing through summer. In my upper zone 9a garden, fruits ripen in September and October. I eat them when they become slightly soft and develop a fruity aroma. Often, that means letting fallen fruit ripen indoors on the counter. I like this plant best when grown as a small, multi-trunked tree. Plants at the University of North Florida are growing well with reclaimed water, showing no obvious sensitivity to its low levels of salt.
This is a large evergreen shrub or small tree from South America that grows to about fifteen feet tall. While it is sold often as a shrub, it may be trained easily into an attractive small tree with an tan and orange, flaking bark. Leaves are dark gray green with silver-gray undersides. Lavender and pink summer flowers are about an inch across. They are ornamental but may be somewhat hidden in the foliage. The thick flower petals are edible with a sweet, spicy flavor. A friend in Jacksonville, Florida, Cathy Murphy, reports watching a mockingbird pluck petals and feed them to its young. The green fruits are edible, too. The taste is sweet and tart, somewhat like pineapple, with a distinct guava undertone. Large-fruited forms have been selected but named varieties are not available in local nurseries. Individual plants (or several plants of a single clone) will bear a few fruit. They fruit heavily if two or more clones are available for cross pollination. It grows in full sun to part shade and is adaptable to soils. It is fairly drought tolerant once established but grows faster with some moisture. Various reports state that it is sensitive to salt to moderately tolerant. Numerous references list it as suitable for zones 8 to 10.
This plant is available in local nurseries. Plants may be propagated by seeds, layering, summer cuttings and grafting.
My plants flower from mid-April into June. New foliage appears first in late March and the plant can continue growing through summer. In my upper zone 9a garden, fruits ripen in September and October. I eat them when they become slightly soft and develop a fruity aroma. Often, that means letting fallen fruit ripen indoors on the counter. I like this plant best when grown as a small, multi-trunked tree. Plants at the University of North Florida are growing well with reclaimed water, showing no obvious sensitivity to its low levels of salt.
Acca sellowiana - mature fruits