Mature size & growth rate

How big does Feijoa (Acca sellowiana) get?

Also called Feijoa, Pineapple guava, Guavasteen.

More about feijoa

About Feijoa

Acca sellowiana · also called Feijoa, Pineapple guava · tropical

Feijoa is a subtropical evergreen shrub in the myrtle family with silvery-backed leaves, showy red-and-white edible flowers, and aromatic green fruit tasting of pineapple and guava. Hardier than most subtropicals (to about -9°C), it suits mild gardens and large containers, and makes an attractive, drought-tolerant hedge as well as a fruit producer.

Mature size: Typically 2-4 m tall and wide; can reach 5-6 m if unpruned. Readily kept compact in containers.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Feijoa is a tree at heart. Indoors a pot and your ceiling keep it to typically 2-4 m tall and wide, but in the ground it is a different scale of plant entirely (can reach 5-6 m if unpruned. readily kept compact in containers.). Indoors and in a pot, expect typically 2-4 m tall and wide. In the ground with no restriction it is a completely different plant — can reach 5-6 m if unpruned. readily kept compact in containers. — which is why the pot, the light and the pruning matter so much for the size you actually end up with.

It gains real height on a trunk or main stem, adding a tier of leaves a year and eventually reaching for the ceiling — this is a plant you grow up, not out.

Growth rate and years to mature

Feijoa is a moderate grower. Realistically, expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Its feeding profile backs this up: feed in spring and again in early summer with a balanced fruit-tree or citrus fertiliser. feijoa is not a heavy feeder; moderate, balanced nutrition supports steady growth and fruiting. avoid excessive nitrogen, which favours foliage over fruit.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the feijoa repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast feijoa grows.

How to keep feijoa smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For feijoa specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

The decisive tool is the secateurs: feijoa can be topped (cut the main growing tip) to cap its height and force a bushier, shorter shape.
Keeping it deliberately pot-bound in a snug container slows the whole plant and limits ultimate size.
Prune in spring so it heals fast; remove the tallest leader back to a node to reset the height.
Expect to top or hard-prune it every year or two — left alone it heads for the ceiling.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Pick the new height. Decide how tall you want feijoa and find a leaf node or branch point just below that.
Top the main stem. Cut the main growing tip cleanly just above that node in spring; this permanently caps the height and forces side branches.
Keep the pot snug. Avoid jumping to a much bigger pot — a slightly restricted rootball keeps the whole plant smaller.
Maintain the shape. Prune back the tallest new leaders each spring to hold it at the height you chose.

How to grow feijoa bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for feijoa the accelerators are:

It already wants the bright light it needs; warmth, a yearly pot-up and spring-summer feed are the accelerators.
Pot up a size every year or two while young; restricted roots are the main thing holding height back.
Feed regularly through the growing season and keep it warm — height comes from sustained good conditions.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The feijoa light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When feijoa outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for feijoa:

The top leaves pressing against or bent by the ceiling — the classic "this is now too tall indoors" sign.
It has to be moved away from a light source it has literally outgrown.
Roots filling the largest pot you can reasonably keep indoors — at that point it is top-or-prune or move it outside (if hardy).

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the feijoa repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the feijoa propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Feijoa size — frequently asked questions

How big does feijoa get?

Feijoa reaches typically 2-4 m tall and wide when grown indoors, and far larger where it grows unrestricted (can reach 5-6 m if unpruned. readily kept compact in containers.). It gains real height on a trunk or main stem, adding a tier of leaves a year and eventually reaching for the ceiling — this is a plant you grow up, not out.

Is feijoa slow or fast growing?

Feijoa is a moderate grower. Expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Feijoa is a tree at heart. Indoors a pot and your ceiling keep it to typically 2-4 m tall and wide, but in the ground it is a different scale of plant entirely (can reach 5-6 m if unpruned. readily kept compact in containers.).

How long does feijoa take to reach full size?

Roughly three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep feijoa smaller?

The decisive tool is the secateurs: feijoa can be topped (cut the main growing tip) to cap its height and force a bushier, shorter shape. Keeping it deliberately pot-bound in a snug container slows the whole plant and limits ultimate size. Prune in spring so it heals fast; remove the tallest leader back to a node to reset the height. Expect to top or hard-prune it every year or two — left alone it heads for the ceiling.

How can I make feijoa grow bigger or faster?

It already wants the bright light it needs; warmth, a yearly pot-up and spring-summer feed are the accelerators. Pot up a size every year or two while young; restricted roots are the main thing holding height back. Feed regularly through the growing season and keep it warm — height comes from sustained good conditions.