Guava 'Pineapple'

The fruit is just 2 to 3 1/2 inches long, with a blue-green skin concealing white to translucent flesh delectably flavored with guava, pineapple, mint, and a hint of strawberry. So aromatic that you will begin sniffing it long before you see it in the garden, the fruit is also high in vitamins, boasting more lycopene than tomatoes or watermelon, the highest fiber count of any fruit (9 grams per cup!), vitamin C, and potassium. The rind and seeds are both edible, and the fruit becomes sweeter the closer you get to the pulpy center. It takes anywhere from 4 to 7 months to mature, so depending on your climate, you will harvest the fruit anytime from late summer 'til late fall.

In addition to the luscious fruit, the blooms that come before them are also beautiful. Orchid-shaped, they are white with flushes of purple and brilliant red stamens. The thick, waxy petals are completely edible, making a stunning garnish for cakes, salads, and other dishes. About an inch wide, they make a fine show on the shrub, appearing profusely in late spring.

Reaching 15 feet tall and wide at maturity, this evergreen shrub is very well-branched and suitable for training as a single-stemmed tree, espaliering against a wall, or growing naturally into a windbreak, tall hedge, or other barrier planting. The foliage is thick, leathery, and fairly small, just a few inches long and barely an inch wide. It is soft green above, silvery on the underside.

Best planted in groups of 2 or more for pollination, Guava 'Pineapple' grows quickly. It is generally left alone by pests and diseases, and is quite drought-tolerant (though the quality of the fruit may suffer). Salt spray presents no problems, and partial shade is preferred. It prefers cool winters and moderate summers, where temperatures seldom if ever top 90 degrees F. (The fruit flavor is affected by higher temperatures, though the plant grows just as well.) Native to regions of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, it is quite heat-tolerant, and thrives best in areas where temperatures remain above 15 degrees F. We ship big, healthy 2-year-old plants that will flower the first or second year after planting. Zones 8b-10; Sunset Western Zones 7-9, 11-24.