Feijoa

At its heart, Feijoa is the fascinating journey of an often-overlooked fruit and its impact on the various cultures it touches. Guided by the author's personal obsession, this micro-history unfolds like an adventure story, tracing the path of the feijoa from its origins in the highlands of Southern Brazil and the valleys of Uruguay to its present-day stature as a cherished symbol in New Zealand.

Kate Evans masterfully interweaves botany with history, commenting on the broader implications of how we interact with the natural world. The feijoa, both fruit and metaphor, acts as the lens through which we explore the rich tapestry of human and botanical relationships. From its initial scientific classification in Berlin to its acclimatisation on the French Riviera, and its bittersweet commercial endeavours in California, the fruit's story is one of resilience and transformation.

The tale takes root in Southern Brazil, where the feijoa is deeply entrenched in indigenous and Afro-Brazilian cultures. This narrative then journeys to a small town in the Colombian Andes, where the fruit continues to be celebrated today. Across the globe, feijoa garners admiration, becoming an emblem of community and national identity, particularly in New Zealand.

Of the approximately 30,000 edible plant species on our planet, only some 150 are cultivated actively for human sustenance. The feijoa is among a rare few that have voyaged from the wild into orchards in recent generations, providing a unique glimpse into the dynamic ways plants captivate and integrate into human life. Evans excels at demonstrating how this fruit, often unnoticed, forms intricate connections that span not only geographic locales but cultural and social boundaries as well.

In addition to being an enlightening botanical exploration, Feijoa is a celebration of human connection—between individuals, cultures, and disciplines. It meticulously documents how plants like the feijoa seduce us with their allure and practicality, creating enduring links across time and space.

Evoking a sense of wonder and interconnectedness, this book implores readers to appreciate the myriad ways in which our lives intersect with the natural world. Feijoa is not just a story about a fruit; it is a narrative about the bonds that tie us all together, illuminating the unexpected connections that shape our shared human experience.