A few weeks ago, I was visiting my American friend, Steve Lavalley, who has the wonderful tree nursery in Warragul, Gippsland. As usual, we were walking around sampling some of the lovely fruit he grows on his property. At that time, the Nashi pears were in fruit and the texture and taste of the fruit on his trees is just mouth-watering.
We wandered up to a section where he keeps a lot of his potted plants and we came upon a small tree.
Steve picked a small berry from it.
Here, taste this fruit", he said.
I put it into my mouth and experienced the most delicious flavour I had encountered in a long time.
"What is it?" I asked.
"It's a Chilean Guava" was his reply to me. The taste was superb!
Description: [syn Eugenia ugni; Ugni molinae] The Chilean Guava was named after Juan Ignacio Molina (1737-1829). It has been known by botanists and gardeners since 1844.
The Chilean Guava is also called Myrtus Ugni, after the vernacular name "Uñi" and also is known as Ugni Molinæ, The Chilean people call it by these names as well: Uñi, Murtillo, Murtilla or Murta.
Indigenous to Chile and Bolivia, it bears fragrant, purplish red, berry-like fruit. These are edible and are eaten raw or made into jams and preserves. The plentiful small, bell-shaped flowers are pink or white with prominent stamens, which are carried in the leaf axils. They have a delicious flavour and are aromatic, with a taste like strawberry. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter. Its leaves can be a substitute for tea and the seeds, if roasted, are a coffee substitute.
The Chilean Guava can be grown as a low hedge (up to 4.5 m or 15 feet) or potted up in a nice tub as a feature plant. They are tolerant of some trimming. It has small, shiny, dark-green leaves which are tinged with red when young. They grow best in a cool climate and a moist soil and need plenty of water in the summer period, although once established, they will tolerate some dryness.
They will do well in a climate that has mild frost, like Gippsland, where they grow well. They are not to my knowledge, affected by any insect pest.
Growing seed: soak overnight, and then sow in a good potting mix. . Plant out individual seedlings into pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least the first winter. In spring, or early summer, plant them out into a permanent position after the last frost. Cuttings can also be grown. Pot them up in autumn and keep them under cover, planting them out in spring.
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