Italian Garden Design

a superb silver grey plant for the italian garden

Feijoa sellowiana, also known as the Pineapple guavaor Acca sellowiana can be grown as a compact evergreen shrub or a small tree. Feijoa reaches a maximum height of around 6m, given the correct growing conditions. A fully hardy plant, however, it does require full sun and long, hot summers to mature fully and produce its edible, egg-shaped fruits. It has grey-green leaves with a white, downy underside, which can become a feature in itself on windy days when the underside of the leaves is revealed.

In summer fejoia bears ornamental, deep pink flowers, edged with white with long stamens, formed in dense bunches in the middle of the flower. Fejoia can be maintained in a spherical form by annual spring pruning and provides a pleasant silver-grey element within an Italian garden planting scheme.

Feijoa is a plant that prefers poor, well-drained soil and it is most happy in full sun, preferably against a warm wall. It is an original and unusual addition to the Italian garden, as it is not used as much as it should be and will surely create interest. Its unusual green, egg-shaped fruits are a definite curiosity but they will not ripen unless the plant experiences a long warm summer, therefore the warmest, most sheltered position should be chosen in the garden for this plant.

The fruit contains a sweet pulp that is also used as an exfoliant in the cosmetics industry. The fruit has an unusual aroma, caused by an esther present in the pulp and this has been used in the flavouring of vodka and yoghurt. The fruit of the Feijoa remains green even when mature but can be harvested when it is soft and begins falling from the plant in late autumn.

The grey foliage of the Feijoa provides a tranquil, Mediterranean feel to any border and this plant can be combined with other grey-leaved plants to provide a harmonious backdrop for pastel colours, particularly soft pinks, mauves and blues. There are few plants that provide the Italian garden designer with such a large grey-green shrub and the fruits are an added bonus that make this an unusual and fun plant to grow in the Italian style garden.