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Chilean Guava: a beautiful, unusual edible  Do you want a good looking and interesting shrub in your yard? A shrub which is evergreen and has an arching, vaselike habit growing to 3-6 feet tall or more? What if you could plant several and have a handsome hedge? There may be quite a few plants that could fulfill these criteria but not many would produce fruit that could be made into the world's best jelly as reportedly claimed by Queen Victoria. This shrub is Ugni molinae or Chilean guava, a member of the myrtle family as evidenced by its glossy, small leaves. Its new growth is bronze and burgundy and it has pinkish white flowers which look like little bottlebrushes. The fruit of Chilean guava is also about the same size as blueberries and has an intense flavor. Use the fruit in jams, jellies, and liqueurs or eat them fresh - maybe added to salads. Even if you don't get to eating the fruit, the clusters of berries will be attractive on the shrub. It should be planted in a well-drained sunny or partially shaded location. Supposedly not attractive to deer. We have some waiting for you in the Nursery.
Editor's Notes: I have several of these growing in pots in my garden alongside the blueberries. I got them because I was fascinated by the name let alone the attributes of them being decorative and edible. Mine came from a friend who is a gardener foreman in Golden Gate Park who strongly recommended them. He also recommends Fuchsia "berries", claiming that all of them are edible. I've also heard claims about Fuchsia being raised for their fruits in New Zealand... new edible crops anyone? This information will surely help you take that next step into the edible landscape?
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California Natives Anyone?
 The 7th annual Bringing Back the Natives Tour will take place on Sunday, May 1, from 10am to 5pm across Contra Costa and Alameda County. To preview the gardens, register for the tour, or get more information, please visit www.bringingbackthenatives.net
Don't miss this tour...for those of you thinking of California natives for your garden... or for those of you who already have natives and are thinking about where you can use more in your garden... you should be signing up for the Bringing Back the Natives tour. It's free, but you must sign up. We'll have more on this tour shortly in an upcoming email, but the time is running out for the sign up and it must be done on the web.
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