I'm in Hillsboro, west of Portland. I just bought a Coolidge Pinnapple Guava. I've read that it's self fertile. Is this right? Also, do I need to put it in a sheltered warmer location like a south facing wall...or will it do okay in a full sun spot in the yard? And will it really do well in the PNW anyways? Thanks for any advice or experience on the subject.
jerilee
Pineapple Guavas, or Feijoas, are partly self-fertile, perhaps 25% on average. Two varieties for cross-pollination are recommended. Many people hand-pollinate.
However, individual bushes in the Portland area have fruited reliably. I do not know of any plants in the past 25 years that have frozen out, in-ground plants will lose their leaves when temperatures go below 20, but will leaf out next spring.
My bush is near the SW corner of the house in partial shade, but I have seen many plants in full sun. Hillsboro gets colder nights than here in Portland, so I would place the bush in a sheltered spot, but it doesn't have to go right next to a south wall.
Feijoa plants take several years to begin fruiting. I have seen several plants removed because people lost patience.
Keep your plant watered, feijoa is not drought-tolerant if fruit is the goal.
I created an account just so I could respond to this thread...
I've got a mammoth and a Coolidge that are 30 or 40 yards apart. The trees have each been in the ground a couple years in places that get morning shade but quite a bit of sun (when it shows up) as the day progresses. We didn't get fruit off either trees the first year but last year, between the two trees, we got forty or fifty fruit. To this point, we haven't given them any special treatment, and they appear to each have one-hundred or so blossoms on them this year - three foot tall trees!!! While the Coolidge fruit is a bit smaller than the mammoth, they're both delicious... I'm in Vancouver, WA so things might be slightly different than Hillsboro but if I were you, I'd plant it in a location that gets a fair amount of sun and treat it just like anything else you might have.
My Coolidge blossoms just started opening up five days ago while the mammoth are getting close - tried to attach a photo but couldn't get the file size small enough.
Hope this helps!
Travis, welcome to the Forum.
I live in Camas and also have those varieties. They are at least in their 3rd year in the ground, but I've only had a few blossoms on each.
If your fruit ripen this Fall, a taste of each would be most welcome. I'm very curious to see how they compare to others I've had.
I have two of them. They have fruited every year except when I transplanted them as large plants. I have Coolidge and a seedling, which I like better than Coolidge. Mine have always done well and I've only planted them in absolute full sun. You can get more fruit with a child's paint brush, or if you want a LOT more fruit, use the Larry Gene method by pollinating with your hands.
JohnS
PDX OR
Many plants begin blooming when from waist to shoulder high, the age will vary.
On a different plant forum, Puget Sound area members report little success with
feijoa fruiting, the bloom comes too late and the fruits remain small, up there
choose the warmest location and good luck.
Idyllwild
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
John S
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