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guava

Member profile details

PLANT PROFILE SHEET PDF

http://leafnetworkaz.org:80/resources/PLANT%20PROFILES/Guava_profile.pdf

IDENTIFICATION

Common Name

guava

Photo #1

Scientific Name

Psidium guajava L.

Family

Myrtaceae

Spanish Name

guayaba, guayabo

Species Description

Guava is a shrub that may become tree-like under favorable conditions. Bark is smooth, peeling, greenish to brown. Leaves arranged in pairs, usually opposite, oblong to oval, smooth on upper surface and finely fuzzed on lower surface. Prominently veined. Flowers, perfect and bisexual, 4-5-petalled, occur singly or in clusters at the leaf axis of current or preceding growth. Fruit is a many seeded berry. May be pear-shaped to oblong to globe-shaped, flesh color pink, white or yellow. Numerous, small seeds are embedded in the flesh.

NATURAL / CULTURAL HISTORY

AZ Native or Introduced

Introduced to Arizona

Natural Range

Guava is native to the American tropics, likely disseminated by Indigenous cultures. Spanish explorers transported guava to the Philippines and India. Widespread dissemination in tropics and subtropics around the world.

Cultural-Historic Notes

Cultivated and exported in many countries.

GROWTH FORM & RATE

Growth Form

Tree
Shrub

Tree or Understory

Tree

Other Growth Characteristics

Seasonally Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Canopy Diameter

10-30 feet

Tree Height

10-30 feet

Lifespan

30-40+ years

Years to Bearing, if nursery tree is 1-2 years old; grafted

2-4 years

Chill Hours

None required

Freeze Tolerance

Guavas are highly frost-sensitive, best if temperatures do not drop below 27-28 degrees F. Overhead protection and planting on the warm side of a building recommended. A frame over the plant covered with fabric will provide additional protection during freezes, and electric lights can be hung for added warmth.

Site, Micro-Climate, and Growing Considerations

Guava trees thrive in full sun, in areas with shelter from wind.

Elevation Range

Guava does best in warm areas, sea level to 5000 ft in the tropics. In Arizona, guava will only survive in the low deserts.

Appropriate Arizona Elevation Categories

LOW DESERT: Phoenix, Lake Havasu City, Yuma - USDA Zones 9b-10a (25-35ºF)

USDA Interactive Plant Zone Map for Arizona

USDA Interactive Plant Zone Map for Arizona

WATER

Relative Plant Water Use

High: 35-60 inches / year

Post-Establishment Irrigation Needs

2 X Month in Growing Season

Notes on Species-Specific Water Needs

Irrigate 1-2 inches per week. Guavas have survived dry summers with no water, although they do best with regular deep watering. Lack of moisture will delay bloom and cause the fruit drop.

CARE

Pollination

Depending on variety, can be self or cross-pollinated. Bees are principle pollinators.

Soils

Guava prefers soil with good drainage, high organic matter, and a pH range 5-7. Species is salt tolerant.

Propagation

Seed germination is used to produce seedling varieties and rootstock. Trees can be budded or grafted, though budding is preferred. Greenwood cuttings with 2-4 leaves can be rooted with rooting hormone. Seedling trees have a deep taproot versus those grown from cuttings are not well rooted.

Pest & Disease Control

Guavas are susceptible to many fungus and insect-related diseases.

Pruning Notes

Pruning begins early to develop single-trunk trees with well-spaced scaffold branches. Pruning is repeated every 8-9 months to increase yields and keep trees open and manageable in height.

HARVEST & PROCESSING

Edible Parts

Fruits are consumed fresh, processed into purees, juices, sauces, preserves. Flavor and aroma vary widely among seedling populations. Harvested at mature green stage, and eaten as a firm, crisp fruit. Fresh cultivars are larger with sweet white flesh. Processing cultivars are more acidic, with red flesh. Guavas are high in pectin, and useful for jams and jellies.

Harvest Months

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Harvest and Processing Guide

Harvest and Processing Guide

LEAF is under the fiduciary stewardship of the Arizona Community Tree Council, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

PO Box 65122, Phoenix, Arizona 85082-5122

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

This website and other LEAF Network products shown here was prepared under the Diverse Urban Forest grant, WCG 14-501, administered by the Arizona Community Tree Council. Funds for this project were provided by the Urban and Community Forestry Financial Assistance Program administered through Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management – Urban and Community Forestry Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. In accordance with Federal law and USDA policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability (Not all prohibited basis applies to all programs). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.