Unknown shrub

[Mick McLoughlin]

I have had this shrub for a number of years and in different gardens. Never known it to flower before. Can anybody tell me what it is please?
Just a single flower on it.

[mark smyth]

Fruit Salad Tree, I think, is what I knew it as when I was younger. Googling it all I find are references to a tree hoax

[Mick McLoughlin]

Thanks Mark I googled "fruit salad" shrub and got this http://www.floridata.com/ref/F/feijoa.cfm
Looks like this to me cheers.
Never heard of it Feijoa sellowiana.

[Heather Smith]

I know this plant from conservatory culture only. Have you tried sucking nectar from the flowers? It's lovely.  Yours is a nicer colour form than I've seen before.

[Maggi Young]

It seems the thing should now be called Acca sellowiana... still means nothing to me! I have never seen it but it looks charming and so much the better if you can use the flowers as decorative food! You'll need to encourage more than one to make that worthwhile though, Mick! Seems quite unusual that you are able to grow it outside, Mick, even if some cold is needed to get good flowers, I read??!!

[David Nicholson]

Even in Hemsworth, they get sun (sorry Mick!). Bet it's been hotter there than it has in grey, drizzly Devon today.

[mark smyth]

They grow in gardens in County Down. I first saw it and tried it in Castle Ward's garden

[Paddy Tobin]

Mick,

Feijoa sellowiana is what I have known it as though, as Maggi says, it is now known as Acca sellowiana. I have grown a shrub for over ten years and it has been hardy through all winters. Perhaps being rammed in between a Berberis darwinii and a Berberis temolaica and sheltered by Sorbus aria has allowed it to flourish here. It's an interesting shrub, nice to see the grey back of the leaves show as the breeze blows them.

Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

Here are the fruit, rather scruffy versions. The commercial vars are larger, and very even in colouring. I should have cooked these already. They are eaten raw (the raw fruit have a beautiful perfume) but I prefer them cooked with brown sugar and served with thick cream. I had some this morning on my cornflakes. Delicious!

[Maggi Young]

nice to see the grey back of the leaves show as the breeze blows them. says Paddy

Yes, I liked that feature... almost as good as a rhodo ! Mind you, with the edible element, that IS an advantage over a rhodo!

[fermi de Sousa]

And if you don't get enough heat to get fruit on it, you can always eat the flowers! Well, the thick petals actually - an unusual taste with a bit of a bite!
cheers
fermi

[Paddy Tobin]

Fermi,

Unfortunately, we don't get the heat for fruit to set or ripen and so must be content with nibbling on flowers.

Lesley,
Another fruit which I believe is favoured in New Zealand it the quince. I had a great crop of quince last year - Cydonia oblonga - but could find no reference to how best to cook them as they are quite uncommon here. On the internet it struck me that nearly all the recipe ideas came from New Zealand. We tried what seemed the simplest one and were delighted - halved the fruit, took out the core, placed on a baking tray, filled core with honey, baked, server with creme freche. Beautiful.

Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

I haven't tried that way Paddy but will do, this week. I bought some at my Farmers' Market on Saturday. (I say "my" because I'm Manager there.) I also make a quince paste which is a bit like the fruit leathers one can buy but less dry. It lasts for ever in the fridge and is superb spread thickly on a water cracker or any plain biscuit and topped with any cheese you fancy. I like quince paste and a blue cheese best of all. I also bottle some each year and add them diced up to fruit salads, or a quince crumble or slivered finely with meat of most kinds, especially anything gamey.

I've eaten quinces ever since my long ago childhood but in recent years they almost disappeared from our kitchens as fewer and fewer people bake or cook anything but most basic stuff. A great shame. However, many of the old orchards never got rid of their trees and now, with the Farmers' Market movement growing everywhere in the world - the western world anyway - quinces are back with a bang and very popular.

[Lesley Cox]

Quick dash to the pantry, quick pic and here they are -

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Lesley
Our small Quince tree lost its entire crop in a late spring frost, but then produced a single flower which went on to become a single, large fruit which had to be wrapped in an onion (mesh) bag to protect it from the parrots! My first meal at home was finished off with poached (stewed?) quince with vanilla ice cream - that's a nice welcome home, I think!
cheers
fermi