Edible Landscaping Entry Garden: Pineapple Guava, Loquat, Pomegranate, Fig

Here’s our entry that features pineapple guava, loquat, pomegranate, and fig. In addition to visual appeal, these four edible landscaping plants have few pests or diseases, are low maintenance, have low water requirements once established, and provide reliable crops of delicious fruit.

Pineapple guava (feijoa) is evergreen and has perhaps the most delicious fruit of any plant. You really should get your hands on some of the fruit and give it a try.

Loquat is evergreen and should be planted in zone eight or warmer. It can grow into a huge tree or be kept low as a bush or hedge. The abundant crops come about the same time as sweet cherries in late spring. The fruit has a citrus-plum like quality with large pits and thick skin. Be sure to plant a named variety like Gold Nugget or Big Jim (seen here) or you will likely have fruit with excessively large pits. I would rate the desirability of the fruit as not as good as a good plum, but better than a bad plum.

Pomegranate can be grown anywhere oleander grows, and can be trained as a very elegant tree, or bush. Pomegranate is deer proof and the fruits are bird resistant. “Wonderful” is the go to variety for quality fruit. Zone eight and warmer.

Fig has been the easiest, most prolific fruit bearing tree in my whole orchard, and can be trained to numerous different forms. The tree is also very attractive in the winter when it has dropped it’s leaves.

Other standout edible landscaping plants include: Hollywood Plum, Asian persimmons like Fuyu or Jiro, weeping mulberry, and grapes.

Links: http://crfg.org/pubs/ff/feijoa.html http://crfg.org/pubs/ff/loquat.html