Description
Takaka is one of the earliest pineapple guavas to ripen, bred in Golden Bay, New Zealand by grower Nigel Ritson. The fruit is sweet and aromatic, with a thin skin tender enough to eat right along with the flesh.
Set fruit reliably by planting a second pineapple guava nearby; Takaka crops far better as a pair than alone.
Overview
- Very early ripening among pineapple guavas
- Sweet, aromatic fruit with a thin edible skin
- Bred in Golden Bay, New Zealand
- Partially self-fertile
- Hardier than it looks; an established plant shrugs off brief single-digit cold
Growing Details
Latin Name: Acca sellowiana ‘Takaka’
Site and Soil: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil
Hardiness:Hardy to roughly 10F – mature plants have survived lower
Rootstock: Grafted onto pineapple guava seedling rootstock
Bearing Age: 2 to 3 years after planting
Size at Maturity: 8 to 12 ft – often maintained smaller
Ripening Time: Very early season; October into November
Pollination: Partially self-fertile; plant a second cultivar for a full crop
Pests & Diseases: Generally resilient; few pest or disease issues
Yield: Heavy cropping
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: Plant a second pineapple guava nearby; Takaka’s early ripening pairs well with a mid or late-season cultivar for a longer harvest window.
- Regional Insight: Pineapple guavas perform best in mild-winter regions such as coastal California, the Gulf Coast, and the Pacific Northwest, where winter lows stay within their hardiness range.
- Explore more pineapple guavas in our collection: Pineapple Guavas
