Season of super-sized feijoas in CHB

CHB SPCA manager Renee Hickey with her massive feijoa as big as her hand.

'Tis the season for giant feijoas in CHB.

There have been reports of huge feijoas growing around the district recently, but CHB SPCA shelter manager Renee Hickey's 395gm specimen, as large as her hand, might just be the biggest.

Renee said the feijoa came from one of three trees, around 20 years old, growing at the animal welfare shelter on Coughlan Rd in Waipukurau.

The feijoa weighed in at 395 grams.

"They just grow these massive feijoas. But when I saw this one growing I said 'this is going to be a really massive one, so we need to keep it on the tree for as long as possible'," she said.

She created a sling from a scarf to support the fruit while it grew.

"I've been growing this inside a scarf for weeks. I've been taking very good care of it."
Though it resembled a "bull's scrotum," Renee said if it was like the other fruit produced by the trees at the shelter, it would be delicious

"They taste great. There's never any fruit left on the trees because the volunteers are right into them."

Initially she thought she might have a contender for New Zealand's largest feijoa, but after a quick Google search was disappointed to learn of a feijoa that weighed in at 420gm.

"Nearly half a kilogram of feijoa?

"Now that is massive," she said.