Has anyone any experience of growing this from seed? I'm wondering how long
it takes to get to any reasonable size.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

In article ,
Sacha writes:
|
| Has anyone any experience of growing this from seed? I'm wondering how long
| it takes to get to any reasonable size.

Yes! I have one in a large pot covering a manhole cover. It took
only a few years (3? 5?) to get to a decent (flowering size). I
have had some flowers, but not a lot, and keep meaning to potash
it to see if I can get more. No fruit, of course, but I can
witness that the flowers are slightly sweet (and pleasant-tasting),
as described, but never have had enough to serve in a fruit salad.

It seems to be far hardier than expected, because it lives outside
all year.

And, even not in flower, it is a good patio plant with its evergreen
grey, slightly furry, leaves - but you know that.

Have the over-exuberant taxonomists put it back in Acca? I thought
they had moved it out of there!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
says...
Has anyone any experience of growing this from seed? I'm wondering how long
it takes to get to any reasonable size.


About 4 year to flowering size although the first 2 years were in a
tunnel/conservatory, its surprised us by taking to its north facing shady
spot and flowering, like Nick no fruit (serves me right for not putting
it in full sun!)
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

On 25/7/08 12:02, in article , "Nick
Maclaren" wrote:


In article ,
Sacha writes:
|
| Has anyone any experience of growing this from seed? I'm wondering how
long
| it takes to get to any reasonable size.

Yes! I have one in a large pot covering a manhole cover. It took
only a few years (3? 5?) to get to a decent (flowering size). I
have had some flowers, but not a lot, and keep meaning to potash
it to see if I can get more. No fruit, of course, but I can
witness that the flowers are slightly sweet (and pleasant-tasting),
as described, but never have had enough to serve in a fruit salad.

It seems to be far hardier than expected, because it lives outside
all year.

And, even not in flower, it is a good patio plant with its evergreen
grey, slightly furry, leaves - but you know that.

Have the over-exuberant taxonomists put it back in Acca? I thought
they had moved it out of there!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Wonderful, Nick and thanks to you and to Charlie for your helpful and
encouraging responses. We used to have it and then somehow lost it - either
the last one was sold or it turned up its toes. We had a customer asking
for it as Acca and I contacted Dartington Agroforestry for her. Martin
Crawford tells me will have some next winter, which I've passed on to her,
so we'll possibly get some from him and I'll get some seeds, too. They have
an interesting plant list btw:
http://www.agroforestry.co.uk/index.html

He says he calls it Acca and that the Americans call it Feijoa. My outlaws
always called it Feijoa when they had it. It will be worth trying it both
inside and outside here to see how it does in a sheltered spot in the garden
and under glass, too, planted into a bed.


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

In article ,
Sacha writes:
|
| He says he calls it Acca and that the Americans call it Feijoa. My outlaws
| always called it Feijoa when they had it. It will be worth trying it both
| inside and outside here to see how it does in a sheltered spot in the garden
| and under glass, too, planted into a bed.

Given that it survives outside with me (in full sun, but exposed to
the wind), I wouldn't worry too much about being sheltered with you.

It may be a plant that needs good winter drainage, of course, and
plants grown from seeds vary, but I think that it is neglected in
the UK. I lost my Acacia retinoides in a frost that it shrugged
off and where my pomegranate lost its top growth. A hard winter
here of the sort we got 20+ years ago would kill it, of course, but
I would also lose my Solanum crispum and potentially my bay.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Sacha writes:

He says he calls it Acca and that the Americans call it Feijoa. My
outlaws always called it Feijoa when they had it. It will be worth
trying it both inside and outside here to see how it does in a
sheltered spot in the garden and under glass, too, planted into a
bed.

Given that it survives outside with me (in full sun, but exposed to
the wind), I wouldn't worry too much about being sheltered with you.

It may be a plant that needs good winter drainage, of course, and
plants grown from seeds vary, but I think that it is neglected in
the UK.

It's Acca according to the 2008 - 9 Plantfinder.

I haven't grown one from seed, but have had one outside for 8 years here in
W. Sussex. It was about 1m tall when I put it in, and it's now about 2.5m
tall and across. Never flowered well until this year (just had 50+ flowers
on it). About 3 years ago it formed one fruit, but as they need to
overwinter to develop properly it never got very far.

As to needing good drainage, well, it's growing in solid wealden clay here.
True, it's on a slight slope, but that shouldn't make too much difference
when the clay is waterlogged.

I agree that it is a much neglected plant. If it has a weak point, it is
that it is a bit straggly ("of open habit" is the usual gardening
euphemism). The flowers are wonderful, and it is a great trick to pull off
the petals and hand them to someone who doesn't know that they are edible.
The look on their faces when that sweet taste hits is always a pleasure to
behold.

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

On 25 Jul, 14:10, Sacha wrote:
On 25/7/08 12:02, in article , "Nick





Maclaren" wrote:

In article ,
Sacha writes:
|
| Has anyone any experience of growing this from seed? *I'm wondering how
long
| it takes to get to any reasonable size.

Yes! *I have one in a large pot covering a manhole cover. *It took
only a few years (3? 5?) to get to a decent (flowering size). *I
have had some flowers, but not a lot, and keep meaning to potash
it to see if I can get more. *No fruit, of course, but I can
witness that the flowers are slightly sweet (and pleasant-tasting),
as described, but never have had enough to serve in a fruit salad.

It seems to be far hardier than expected, because it lives outside
all year.

And, even not in flower, it is a good patio plant with its evergreen
grey, slightly furry, leaves - but you know that.

Have the over-exuberant taxonomists put it back in Acca? *I thought
they had moved it out of there!

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Wonderful, Nick and thanks to you and to Charlie for your helpful and
encouraging responses. *We used to have it and then somehow lost it - either
the last one was sold or it turned up its toes. *We had a customer asking
for it as Acca and I contacted Dartington Agroforestry for her. *Martin
Crawford tells me will have some next winter, which I've passed on to her,
so we'll possibly get some from him and I'll get some seeds, too. *They have
an interesting plant list btw:http://www.agroforestry.co.uk/index.html

He says he calls it Acca and that the Americans call it Feijoa. *My outlaws
always called it Feijoa when they had it. *It will be worth trying it both
inside and outside here to see how it does in a sheltered spot in the garden
and under glass, too, planted into a bed.

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -



Nice contact, Thanks Sacha,
I'm trying a few things that they also list,
Pawpaw from Canada, Goji berries, I first found a bush of this growing
in an overgrown garden behing a derelict house in the Middle of Barry
Dock, Nr Cardiff around 15 years ago, I grew it for a few years but
gave up on it, I knew it as Duke of Argyll's tea tree, but never knew
the fruit was edible.
Also I didn't know that the fruit from Eliagnus angustifolia were
edible, see http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants....s+angustifolia
also trying several varieties of Olive
A few citrus, several varieties of Blueberry and a couple of
cranberries.
As well as Solanum muricatum, melon pear. now into their 3rd year,
and a few other things.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Sacha writes:

snip


I haven't grown one from seed, but have had one outside for 8 years here
in W. Sussex. It was about 1m tall when I put it in, and it's now about
2.5m tall and across. Never flowered well until this year (just had 50+
flowers on it). About 3 years ago it formed one fruit, but as they need
to overwinter to develop properly it never got very far.

As to needing good drainage, well, it's growing in solid wealden clay
here. True, it's on a slight slope, but that shouldn't make too much
difference when the clay is waterlogged.

I agree that it is a much neglected plant. If it has a weak point, it is
that it is a bit straggly ("of open habit" is the usual gardening
euphemism). The flowers are wonderful, and it is a great trick to pull
off the petals and hand them to someone who doesn't know that they are
edible. The look on their faces when that sweet taste hits is always a
pleasure to behold.

A friend gave me a foot-high Feijoa sellowiana in 1988 which, not knowing
any better in those days, I planted in my back garden in ordinary garden
soil. It has grown into a small tree about 7 feet high, and although it
looks nice, it never flowered until last year (when we had an extremely wet
spring). As Jeff said (and I discovered), the flowers are delicious. I
assume it needs really quite a lot of water, so I watered it copiously this
spring and early summer.

I've now got quite a few flower buds which will probably open in mid-August.
A few buds have disappeared, so it may be that the birds like them too.

Didn't know I should have taken better care of it.

someone

On 25/7/08 23:31, in article ,
"someone" wrote:


"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Sacha writes:

snip


I haven't grown one from seed, but have had one outside for 8 years here
in W. Sussex. It was about 1m tall when I put it in, and it's now about
2.5m tall and across. Never flowered well until this year (just had 50+
flowers on it). About 3 years ago it formed one fruit, but as they need
to overwinter to develop properly it never got very far.

As to needing good drainage, well, it's growing in solid wealden clay
here. True, it's on a slight slope, but that shouldn't make too much
difference when the clay is waterlogged.

I agree that it is a much neglected plant. If it has a weak point, it is
that it is a bit straggly ("of open habit" is the usual gardening
euphemism). The flowers are wonderful, and it is a great trick to pull
off the petals and hand them to someone who doesn't know that they are
edible. The look on their faces when that sweet taste hits is always a
pleasure to behold.

A friend gave me a foot-high Feijoa sellowiana in 1988 which, not knowing
any better in those days, I planted in my back garden in ordinary garden
soil. It has grown into a small tree about 7 feet high, and although it
looks nice, it never flowered until last year (when we had an extremely wet
spring). As Jeff said (and I discovered), the flowers are delicious. I
assume it needs really quite a lot of water, so I watered it copiously this
spring and early summer.

I've now got quite a few flower buds which will probably open in mid-August.
A few buds have disappeared, so it may be that the birds like them too.

Didn't know I should have taken better care of it.

someone



Sometimes, it's better not to know these things because it precludes anxious
hovering! Thanks everyone - definitely one to get again.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

In article ,
"someone" writes:
|
| A friend gave me a foot-high Feijoa sellowiana in 1988 which, not knowing
| any better in those days, I planted in my back garden in ordinary garden
| soil. It has grown into a small tree about 7 feet high, and although it
| looks nice, it never flowered until last year (when we had an extremely wet
| spring). As Jeff said (and I discovered), the flowers are delicious. I
| assume it needs really quite a lot of water, so I watered it copiously this
| spring and early summer.

MOST interesting! That is how discoveries are made. It is quite
possible that the pundits may 'discover' it, and make it into the
next trendy plant. In which case, we should congratulate them on
catching up :-)

It needs a fair amount of water, yes, but is also reasonably drought
resistant.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I did not even know the flowers were edible! When is it best to pick them?
I have had two plants for a couple of years as I believe you need two to produce fruit. I have had some set a couple of times and they start swelling, but quickly give up and drop off, so if I can at least eat the flowers that is better than nothing.

Richard at GS wrote:
I did not even know the flowers were edible! When is it best to pick
them?

Let's get this clear; it's not the whole flower which is edible - only the
fleshy petals.

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

Thanks for that, I will give them a try.

Is that "of course" because you only have one? Most varieties are not self-fertile. I confess to not knowing whether feijoa varieties set true from seed.