Hardy to 5°F, this exotic and beautiful evergreen shrub
should be planted more widely in our region. Pineapple Guava leaves are
dark glossy green with a whitish-silver cast underneath. The flowers are
very striking, crimson red in the center with bright pink petals.
As an evergreen, it adds its beauty to the landscape
year around. Both its fruits and flowers are edible. The bright
pink petals are very sweet with a hint of cotton candy flavor.
Ripening in early November on our farm, the dark green, flavorful fruit
has the flavors of mint and pineapple. Very unique.
While Pineapple Guava can grow from six to eight feet in
height and as wide, even taller in very warm areas, it grows slowly and
is easy to keep small if desired. Pineapple Guava is well suited to
container growing and makes a beautiful patio plant, needing protection
in only the coldest winters.
We
have planted a hedgerow of Pineapple Guava for its evergreen privacy
screening properties.
The image on the left was taken in the
summer of 2005. The planting was about eight years old. The
goal is to maintain the hedge at a height of about seven feet and remove
the old wooden yard fence.
