Nikita is one of the best. Actually, I would rank it as #1 for flavor. The drawback is that the fruit is on the smaller side, perhaps because it over-sets every year (I still didn’t figure out how and when to thin feijoa fruits). Also, Nikita is the earliest ripening one for me, so need multiple others to extend the season. Albert’s Supreme is the latest to ripen among the varieties that I have.
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I bought most of my feijoa plants from Patrick Schafer (and he has many more varieties). He lives in Mendocino county and comes to the CRFG scion exchange in Santa Rosa (in late January) with feijoa and loquat plants for sale. Many of his feijoa varieties are from Mark Albert’s breeding program, but he also has cultivars from other California breeders and from New Zealand.
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Feijoas don’t need much heat, they perform very well in the California coastal climate (if they receive enough sunlight). Actually, it’s a little bit surprising they don’t mind heat here (perhaps because we still have cool nights most of the time).
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We had them in Redlands CA in the 1960’s. Temperatures of 115F almost every day in August. We loved them. When I started growing them in temperate San Diego just inland from Del Mar, I noticed flavor differences with those grown in hot summer areas.
We have two pineapple guavas…the plants are health and have gotten huge. They flower every year, but sadly no fruit…I understand they can be tricky…some people even use a tiny paint brush to get them to pollinate.
Is it better tasting with additional heat?
I had a single bush in a 15 gallon pot here for 2.5 years. No other pollen sources around for at least a block but plenty of fruit each year.
I have to wrestle tree rats & squirrels for them… (and they use folding chairs). Needless to say I usually end up one the losing side.
We have Nazemetz (from la Verne) and Nikita (from one green world) in Poway and I think they are relatively comparable here. The Nikita has slightly thinner skin but smaller fruit. Nikita fruited earlier I believe (one year?) but I don’t think you’ll be too disappointed
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How was the productivity and taste of Nikita before and after Nazemetz started blooming for you as well? or in other words what is effect of cross-pollination on Nikita from Nazemetz?
We actually had the Nazemetz blooming and fruiting prior. I had assumed the relatively earlier fruiting of Nikita was due to it being labeled a dwarf variety. I suppose it’s also possible that it benefited from cross pollination from the Nazemetz
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which variety do you recommend and why? thank you
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Nikita — excellent flavor, early season, productive
Flavia — large fruit size, very good flavor
Triumph — large fruit size, very good flavor
Apollo — very good flavor, productive
Marion — large fruit size, excellent flavor
Albert’s Supreme — very good flavor, late season, productive
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My Mammoth was in too much shade, I re-planted it to a better location last winter.
Supposedly not. See https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/feijoa.html
“The flavor of the fruit is much better in cool than in warm regions.”
“To protect the fruit from sunburn and other adverse effects of high temperature, choose a plant site away from hot, reflected sun.”
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Sunset zone 14 here. I know this thread has been cold for a few months, but I just planted an Apollo from One Green World today and it got me thinking about feijoas. I have two big Nazemetz, and a new Nikita and Apollo. Regarding Nazemetz, I have to wait almost to xmas before the fruit are ready for eating…at that point they are very good. In early Dec I got to try Trask at a garden club meeting. Quality was excellent. He said he got it years ago from Raintree but they no longer have them. Any ideas on where to get Trask?
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Richard,
Did you keep this variety? I was curious as to the taste and size of the fruit?
@manfromyard
I grew this in in the San Diego suburb of Rancho Peñasquitos for about a decade, and then here in Vista for a few years. With good cultivation practices it is above average for the species, both in size and quality. It is grainy on occasion – the Lickvers Pride I grew next to it was not grainy.
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