This year-round shrub produces a sweet yet tangy fruit.
Pineapple guavas require full sun, well-drained soil, and consistent moisture to thrive and bear fruit.
Here’s how to grow this attractive fruit tree in your garden.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Pineapple Guava Care
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Light
Pineapple guava trees require lots of full sun to thriveat least eight hours per day.
Soil
Plant pineapple guava in a site with rich, well-drained soil.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
This plant is tolerant of salty soils, making it a good choice for coastal sites.
However, they’re not tolerant of overly wet soils, so choose a site with excellent drainage.
Avoid overwatering to protect the plant from root rot.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The plant struggles at temperatures over 90F.
Feed the plant once in late winter or early spring and once in midsummer.
Avoid fertilizing in fall or winter.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Instead, prune minimally to keep them contained in their space and shape plant growth.
Unlike many fruit trees, fruit thinning is not required.
Propagating Pineapple Guava
It’s possible to propagate pineapple guava by taking stem cuttings in the fall.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The process is slow going, with at least four years until fruits appear from seed-grown trees.
Potting and Repotting Pineapple Guava
Pineapple guavas make excellent container shrubs due to their slow growth.
Use a pot with holes and potting mix with excellent drainage.
Fertilize container plantings twice each year, in the late winter or early spring and in high summer.
When repotting, use a container that’s only an inch or two larger than the previous pot.
Keep an eye out for scale insects or fruit flies.
Squirrels may eat fruits before they ripen.
Their edible fruits ripen in fall.
How Long Does Pineapple Guava Bloom?
Expect pineapple guava trees to bloom for one or two months.
What Does Pineapple Guava’s Flowers Look and Smell Like?
These edible blossoms have a sweet aroma and slightly tropical flavor.
Cover flowering trees with row cover or a thin sheet in case of late spring frosts.
Giving the plant adequate light and water also promotes flowering and fruiting.
These plants prefer neutral to slightly acidic soil.
Amend the soil with an organic soil acidifier.
Increase watering frequency so that the soil remains consistently moist but not soggy.
Pineapple guavas can grow 15 to 20 feet tall.
Pruning the trees or planting them in containers can help keep their size contained.
New pineapple guava plantings may take up to four years to fruit.
Self-fertile pineapple guava varieties don’t need to be planted with a second tree.
However, adding a second tree can increase fruit production for both specimens.
Growing Feijoa Fruit in Florida.University of Florida IFS Extension.
