Poking around in the lower “garden”—a half-wild area along the back fence—examining with dismay a weed-overgrown path, rampant English ivy, and what I suspect is poison ivy, I also happened to notice these gray-green, football-shaped fruits dangling from the pineapple guavas (Feijoa sellowiana) planted by the previous owner.
I’ve read that the fruit isn’t ripe until it falls on the ground, so I looked under the bushes and found a handful of good ones. You may remember my post about the, ahem, interesting red-and-white flowers of the pineapple guava? I find the fruit, however, quite pretty.
But is it tasty? No, I’m afraid not. I sliced one in half this morning and scooped out the pulp with a spoon. It was face-squinchingly bitter. Readers have assured me that jelly made from pineapple guavas is delicious, but I’m not a jelly-making kind of girl. So I’ll just enjoy the rest of these in a bowl, a small and purely decorative harvest.
Wishing you all an abundant harvest of food, family, and dear friends this Thanksgiving!
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Ooh, my face squenched up just reading your description, Pam! You are game for tasting them though. I think jelly can be made from anything, just add enough sugar. My mailman gave me some made from thistle flowers. I haven’t tried it, we don’t eat much jelly, if any. If I am going to spend those calories, it has to be chocolate, the good dark stuff. HA
We have a couple of new Arizona Cypresses too. We even brought one from our Houston garden here, planting it in the wrong place and having to cut it down way too soon. There was no moving it after only a few years, just so you know. The new ones have been given more room.
Frances
Comment by Frances — November 24, 2009 @ 11:42 am
I have never seen such a thing. Your garden is always turning up something unusual. I hope you and yours have a wonderful, healthy, fun Thanksgiving.
Comment by Lisa at Greenbow — November 24, 2009 @ 12:34 pm
Strange that your fruits are bitter-I think they may still be unripe. Or else just a dud!
Comment by Nicole — November 24, 2009 @ 2:04 pm
I had the same reaction as Frances to your “face-squinchingly bitter” description, well put!
Comment by Loree/danger garden — November 24, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
It’s an interesting looking plant. Too bad it isn’t yummy too. H.
Comment by Helen Yoest @ Garden With Confidence — November 24, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
The bushes around here are filed to the brim this year. I have never seen it like this before.
Comment by compostinmyshoe — November 24, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
Nice fruit. A shame that it’s only good for jelly.
Someone who likes to suck on lemons would like them. lol
Like my GGS.
Comment by Lola — November 24, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
I’ve never heard of that either. Too bad they aren’t tasty.
Comment by Phillip — November 24, 2009 @ 5:03 pm
Well, pooh! I was hoping the punchline on this would be that you’d had a pineapple guava turn-around. They’re sure pretty, though.
Comment by Linda Lehmusvirta — November 24, 2009 @ 8:22 pm
Hi Pam, I have written a post with all foliage and linked back to you at the end of it. If you would be so kind as to place the link wherever you want it for this meme, that would be greatly appreciated. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
http://fairegarden.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/backlighting-and-updating/
Frances
Comment by Frances — November 25, 2009 @ 5:00 am
I have one pineapple guava that’s still struggling to make it in my garden. I’ve been underwhelmed by its growth habit and I don’t think it’s flowered more than once. I wasn’t planning on eating the fruit myself … I planted it for the birds. You’re making me think it’s time to say hasta la vista!
Comment by Cindy, MCOK — November 25, 2009 @ 8:04 am
I’ve always wondered what they taste like. Now I know I won’t be trying them! Best to enjoy their simple beauty.
Comment by Jean — November 25, 2009 @ 8:13 am
You’re right those will be pretty decorations. I have never made jelly … not sure if I ever will. I wanted to mention to you that I gave you an award on my site. I don’t know if you do those sort of things but I wanted to mention you. Hope you have an enjoyable and festive Thanksgiving!
Comment by Amy Emerick — November 25, 2009 @ 11:25 am
I REALLY don’t think those were ripe–they need to be soft and yellow inside. Let them sit on a window sill for a while.
Comment by veratrine — November 25, 2009 @ 10:28 pm
The Pineapple guava are cool — even if you don’t make something with them, it’s so fun to watch things grow and fruit. I grew artichokes in the garden one year and never harvested them because I wanted to see them go to beautiful blooms. Silly gardener! Happy Holidays.
Comment by Diana — November 26, 2009 @ 7:18 am
I am amazed that pineapple guava is so unknown. Possibly your plant is an ornamental. There are as many varieties as there are of apple trees. My 25/30 year old trees produce fruit when the frost allows and the fruit is very fragrant when just cut open. If you have that many on the ground under the tree, you surely do not have any of the little four legged night visitors that harvest mine yearly.
Comment by Sally — November 26, 2009 @ 7:18 am
A friend of mine has them, and they’re really quite tasty when ripe. Maybe you have a different cultivar, or maybe they aren’t ripe yet….
Comment by Town Mouse — November 26, 2009 @ 11:09 pm
That’s quite a harvest, Pam! Maybe TownMouse is right? My two plants are small and only made a couple of fruit. They were smaller than yours but didn’t look so green when they dropped. I ate one and it wasn’t sour – seemed to have a hint of strawberry.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Comment by Annie in Austin — November 28, 2009 @ 3:24 pm