Pineapple Guava (Takaka ™)

Takaka Feijoa is a premium pineapple guava variety developed in New Zealand and widely regarded for its excellent fruit quality and outstanding flavor. This selection produces attractive green fruit with aromatic flesh and a rich tropical taste that has made it a favorite among feijoa enthusiasts.

The fruit is typically medium to large with smooth edible skin and soft, creamy flesh when fully ripe. Takaka is known for its sweet, fragrant flavor that blends notes of pineapple, guava, and citrus with a well-balanced acidity. Many growers consider Takaka to be among the better-tasting feijoa varieties available, making it especially desirable for fresh eating.

Like other feijoa varieties, Takaka also serves as an attractive evergreen shrub in the landscape. The plant features dense silvery-green foliage and produces showy spring flowers with white petals and bright red stamens. The flower petals are edible and slightly sweet, adding both ornamental and culinary interest to the garden.

Key Characteristics

Fruit Quality:
Produces medium to large oval green fruit with creamy aromatic flesh. The flavor is sweet and tropical with strong pineapple guava character and balanced acidity.

Harvest Timing:
Typically ripens in mid to late fall depending on climate.

Yield:
Productive once established. Plants generally begin producing fruit in about 3–4 years, with mature shrubs capable of producing dependable annual harvests.

Pollination:
Partially self-fertile. Plants may produce fruit on their own, but planting two different feijoa varieties nearby generally improves fruit set, fruit size, and overall yield.

Compatible pollinators may include:
✔ Anatoki Feijoa
✔ Earlihart Feijoa
✔ Kaiteri Feijoa
✔ Kakariki Feijoa
✔ Marion Feijoa
✔ Ramsey Feijoa

Growing Requirements

Hardiness Zones:
Generally hardy in USDA Zones 8–10. Established plants may tolerate temperatures near 10°F for short periods.

Utah Growing Notes:
Feijoa are considered borderline hardy in many parts of Utah. In protected microclimates along the Wasatch Front, such as against a south-facing wall or with winter protection, some gardeners have successfully overwintered plants. In colder areas they may perform best in containers that can be moved to a protected location during severe winter weather.

Growth Habit:
Evergreen shrub that typically grows 10–15 feet tall and wide but can be maintained smaller with pruning. Plants can also be trained into a hedge or small tree form.

Soil & Sun:
Performs best in full sun with well-drained soil. Feijoa tolerate a wide range of soil types and become relatively drought tolerant once established.

Maintenance:
Low maintenance plant that benefits from occasional pruning to maintain structure and airflow. Fruit typically drops when fully ripe and can be harvested from the ground or picked slightly early and allowed to finish ripening indoors.