How to prune a feijoa: complete guide to Acca/Feijoa sellowiana

Why prune a feijoa?

A feijoa (Acca/Feijoa sellowiana), also called pineapple guava, is a vigorous South American shrub that quickly grows wild without pruning. Left unguided, your feijoa becomes a tangled, dense mass of long shoots, difficult to harvest, and less productive. With deliberate pruning, you build an attractive, open tree that bears abundant fruit.

Feijoas are also interesting: they grow so vigorously they waste much energy on unnecessary growth. Pruning channels energy toward fruiting instead of endless foliage.

TL;DR: Feijoa pruning in three steps

1. March-April: Remove all dead wood and crossing long branches.
2. June-July: Summer thinning of interior foliage.
3. Careful heading back: Cut long branches back to strong side shoots.

Feijoa pruning: timing and techniques

Feijoas grow strongly March through October. They are nearly impossible to kill. Prune in March-April (main work). June-July for late-summer thinning. Never after August; new growth is frost-sensitive.

Step 1: Remove dead and diseased wood

Always start clean. All brown, split, or weathered twigs get removed. This reveals the healthy structure.

Practice: Dead feijoa wood is brown, dry, feels hollow. Healthy wood is green, supple, feels firm. Cut to the green.

Step 2: Remove the wildest long branches

Feijoas shoot up long, slender branches (one-year growth). These sometimes look unruly. Cut them back to a strong side shoot so your tree stays compact.

Selection: Look for long, thin branches growing only upward. Cut these back to a point lower where a side shoot sits. This stimulates branching and opens the canopy.

Step 3: Thin out the interior

Feijoas grow dense. Too much inner foliage creates moisture problems and disease. You want your tree to be "see-through".

Technique: Work outside inward. Remove roughly 25-30% of interior branches and foliage. Make sure your hand slides through. This also helps you see and harvest fruit.

Step 4: Cut back to desired height

Feijoas can grow taller than you want. Cut the top back to desired height. They regrow quickly, so this is not permanent.

Careful: Never remove more than 20-30 cm from the top in one cut. Too much heading back causes leaf drop.

Year-1 feijoa development

If you have a young feijoa:

• March year 1: Remove only dead wood. Let it grow; you want height and spread.
• June year 1: Light thinning if it gets very dense. Do not prune heavily.
• March year 2: Now you can prune actively. Establish three to four primary skeleton branches.

Feijoas and harvest

September-October: Feijoas flower May-June (pink, edible flowers), fruit ripens October-November. Post-harvest (November-December) do one more light prune. This prevents fungal and disease issues.

Frequently asked questions

How productive are feijoas after pruning?

Very productive. Regular pruning actually stimulates more flowers and fruit. Feijoas growing wild sometimes produce less because they waste energy on foliage.

My feijoa grows very fast. Can I prune it hard?

Yes, feijoas tolerate aggressive pruning beautifully. You can cut branches back hard and they recover quickly. They grow so vigorously that heavy pruning is no problem.

Feijoa loses leaves after pruning. Is it dead?

No. Feijoas can shock from heavy cuts and temporarily lose leaves. This is normal. Water well, feed, place in sun. Leaves return.

Can I use feijoas as a hedge?

Yes, they work well as an informal hedge. Regular pruning (every 4-6 weeks in season) creates neat form. They become less productive though, so better to keep an open shrub.

My feijoa grows more wide than tall. Should I prune for height?

No, wide is fine. This is actually advantageous; you get more fruit on a lower plant. Only if it truly gets out of hand do you prune the tops back.

Step-by-step

Step 1: Examine your feijoa

In March/April, look at your tree. Are there dead twigs? Long, drooping branches?

Step 2: Remove dead wood

Cut all brown, hollow, or split twigs away. Cut to the green.

Step 3: Cut back long branches

Find the long, thin branches. Cut them back to a point lower where a side shoot sits. This makes your tree more compact.

Step 4: Thin the interior

Work outside inward. Remove 25-30% of interior branches so your hand slides through easily.

Step 5: Check height

If your tree is taller than desired, cut the top back to desired height. Never more than 30 cm in one cut.

Feijoa varieties: differences

Feijoa sellowiana (wild form): Most common. Vigorous grower, self-fertile. Can tolerate harder pruning.

Apollo, Gemini: Domesticated cultivars. More compact. Slightly more careful pruning.

Coolidge: Self-fertile, productive. Standard pruning.

Frequently asked questions

How many fruits does a feijoa produce?

Good years: 20-50 fruits per tree. This varies greatly with season, nutrition, and sun. Regular pruning helps consistency.

How long until first fruit?

Feijoas on graft (nursery specimens) sometimes produce in year two. Full production: year three-four.

Are feijoa flowers edible?

Yes, they are lightly sweet with interesting texture. You can pick some for salads or tea. Not all, or you lose fruit.

How do I know when feijoas are ripe?

Fruits change from bright green to slightly yellowish-white. They smell sweet and give slightly to pressure. Usually October-November.

My feijoa only grows from the tops. Why?

This happens if you did not build good base structure. Cut harder back to lower, older wood, and it regrows from below. This costs growth this season, but after that you have better form.

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