I didn’t actually harvest these, but it is autumn and many of my favorite fruits are in season.

Dragonfruit are also back in season too (in some parts of the world).  A few months back it was lychee and jujube that were in season.

I should take a photo of the inside of these fruits, they are just as interesting from the inside out. In the meantime, here is a great website of Thai tropical fruits. They list when the fruits will be in season and also the names of the fruits in Thai too.  Longons are call “lam yai” and Dragonfruit “Mang Gorn”.

The persimmon and pineapple guavas are locally harvested. At American supermarket, persimmon sell for $1 a piece. But if you visit the Asian markets you can find a bag of 10 pieces for $1.50. Much better deal!

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It is end of October and time for fall fruit harvest. We harvested about 10 pounds of pineapple guava from our friend’s yard. Most people would consider turning them into jams and have it with toast. But I just cut them in half and scoop out the soft middle part.

The skin is not so sweet, more tannic and astringent tasting. But the inside is really good. It’s sweet and taste like a cross between strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, and of course guava. I love that they don’t just taste great, but they smell great too.

The pink petals are also edible and used in tossed salads. But I have yet to try the petals. That would be an interesting thing to experiment with next spring.

The common names for this fruit is Feijoa, Pineapple Guava, and Guavasteen. They are native to Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Basically most of south America. It can tolerate partial shade and slight exposure to salt spray. They prefer cool winters and moderate summers, so northern California bay area weather is perfect.

If I had more garden space, I would really consider planting one of these shrubs. They would make nice privacy hedges. They also don’t require much watering too. The best part, is no need for pesticide as the pineapple guava is pest and disease-resistant. The best place to grow them is to choose a plant site away from hot, reflected sun.You can read more about cultivating it at FEIJOA Fruit Facts.

Update 6/14/09:  Late spring pineapple guava blossoms.  I haven’t tasted them yet… was too happy to see them in bloom.  Maybe next time around.