Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Pruning guide · Fruit plant
Pineapple guava: when and how to prune
Acca sellowiana
Pineapple guava is best pruned in April.
| Pruning months | April |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in April |
| Flowering | June–July |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
Pineapple guava: when to prune it?
It needs little pruning. Prune in April, once hard frosts are over.
What else to prune in those months? April
Pineapple guava: how to prune it?
- Cut frosted and dead branches back to healthy wood.
- Thin the shrub lightly by removing a few old branches at the base, to let light into the centre.
- Trim a hedge lightly in April; trimming after flowering costs you the fruit.
- Let the rest of the shrub keep its natural shape.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: April.
- Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- Pruning in April can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
- Pineapple guava flowers in June–July, when it attracts bees.
- Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.
Common mistakes
- Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
- Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.
Caution: Hard pruning costs flowers and fruit: better to prune a little every year than heavily every few years.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: Pineapple guava · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.