Common Guava
Psidium guajava
Also known as
Yellow Guava, Lemon Guava, Abas, Goyavier, Guabang, Guava, Kautonga, Kuahpa, Apple guava
Starr 070519-7147 Psidium guajava by Forest & Kim Starr (CC BY 3.0)
Full Sun
Moderate care
Moderate watering
Tender
H1a
RHS hardiness
15°C
Minimum temperature
Expected size
Height | Spread | |
|---|---|---|
8m | Max | 6m |
2m | Min | 2m |
Fruiting
-
spring
-
summer
-
autumn
-
winter
There is a distinctive change in the colour and aroma of a guava when it ripens. For the best flavour, allow the fruit to ripen on the tree, however the fruit can also be picked green-mature to ripen of the tree at room temperature. Place the fruit in a brown paper bag with a banana or apple if you'd like to hasten ripening.
More images of Common Guava
Common Guava Overview
Psidium guajava is also known as Common Guava, it is a beautiful evergreen shrub or tree, cultivated for its delicious pear to sphere-shaped fruits. Originating from the Caribbean, Central and South America, these are now widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates across the world. In South Africa, they are classified as invasive and tend to be a problem in areas such as KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. They produce attractive white, scented, 5-petalled flowers with lots of delicate white-yellow stamens.
Common problems with Common Guava
How to propagate Common Guava
Seed
Source fresh seeds, obtained from a quality source. Prepare a pot and fill it with a seed starting soil mix that contains ample organic matter. Press the seed gently into the soil mix and make sure that you cover the seed with a bit of soil mix. Place the container in a warm place and keep an eye on the pot and water when needed. The seed should germinate in about 2 - 8 weeks.
Cuttings
You can propagate from seeds or cuttings.
Grafting
By layering or grafting.
Layering
Special features of Common Guava
Pot plant
Attracts birds
Drought resistant
Attractive flowers
Other uses of Common Guava
Food
Edible
Fruits are eaten fresh or porcessed into jams, jellies and preserves.
