Psidium Species, Lemon Guava, Tropical Guava, Yellow Guava

On Mar 19, 2016, coriaceous from ROSLINDALE, MA wrote:

The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council has listed this species as a Category l invasive.

It is also on Hawaii's invasive list, and is a problem weed in the Galapagos.

On May 6, 2014, kiwisago from Vancouver,
Canada wrote:

I planted 12 guava seeds from a fruit I ate - didn't fuss over them, so was surprised to find they all sprouted. Each had a different growth habit (tall, short, big leaves, small leaves, etc.) I kept the one that was most inclined to make lots of branches, and gave away the rest.

It is not hardy where I am, so it lives inside as a lovely houseplant. Needs an incredible amount of water in the summer. Ten years on, it is about 3 1/2 feet tall in a 10" diameter pot.

On Jul 18, 2006, phoenixtropical from Mesa, AZ (Zone 9b) wrote:

Tropical guavas do really great in the Phoenix area.

http://www.phoenixtropicals.com/guava.html

On Aug 11, 2004, sonotaps from Phoenix, AZ wrote:

I've got a guava tree (ruby X supreme) located on a south wall here in Phoenix. Seems to handle all the water and sun you can give it in summer once established. I cover it on cold nights, but here in Phoenix I don't really have to worry about that too often.

It is probably the easiest of the truly 'tropical' fruit trees we can grow here in Phoenix. So much can be grown here, so it confounds me as to why people don't grow more interesting things in Phoenix.

On Jun 10, 2004, foodiesleuth from Honomu, HI (Zone 11) wrote:

Guavas are seen growing wild almost everywhere on the windward side of our islands. They have established as wild flora all along the roasides.

Unfortunately, except for kids using them as misiles to throw at each other, guavas are not used much by the home cook.

On a commercial basis it is used for juice, jams and jellies mostly and sometimes for ice cream. It is the most un-utilized fruit in the islands considering the abundance with which it grows.

In my newspaper columns I try to print as many recipes with guava as I can find and test to encourage the use of them.

Very high in vitamin C content!

On Jun 9, 2004, _plant_maniac_ from Washington, DC wrote:

Growing Guavas (Pisidium )
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Guavas are small trees or shrubs with leathery leaves and a bark that peels easily from the branches. They are native to tropical America. The fruits are round, ripening from green to yellow or red. They are very acidic and are full of hard round seeds.

Note: In the UK it will be very difficult to get the fruit to ripen. However, they do make a very attractive ornamental plant.

Varieties
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Desert - P. cattleianum - Strawberry Guava - slightly sweeter reddish-purple, plum size fruit.

Soil Conditions and Siting
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Guavas will grow in any soil as long as it is moisture retentive and well drained. They require a lot of sunshi... read morene so it is best to plant under glass or in a container in a sunny, sheltered place or against a south facing wall.

Planting
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Plant bushes 15ft (5m) apart.

Feeding
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An annual mulch of well-rotted manure is normally sufficient. This will help to keep the moisture in the ground as well.

Watering
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Ensure that the plant is well watered, this is particularly important during its first year of growth.

Pruning
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Nip out top shoots to keep the plants bushy.

Protection
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Protect from frost.

Harvesting
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Pick fruits when ripe.

Pests and Diseases
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Birds, Aphids.

On Jul 5, 2003, Thaumaturgist from Rockledge, FL (Zone 10a) wrote:

It might be worthwhile to list all the fruits here that
are called "Guava" in an effort to clarify any prospective confusion.

GUAVA, COMMON (Psidium guajava)
GUAVA, BRAZILIAN ( Psidium guineense)
GUAVA, CATTLEY (Psidium cattleianum)
GUAVA, COSTA RICAN (Psidium friedrichsthalianum)
GUAVA, PINEAPPLE (Feijoa sellowiana)
GUAVA, PUERTO RICAN (Psidium microphyllum)
GUAVA, STRAWBERRY (Psidium littorale)

It is interesting to note that of all the "Guava" fruits, only the Pineapple Guava comes from a species other than Psidium.