Plant family: Myrtaceae
Plant origin: Tropical America.
Fruit description: The Indian Guava fruit has a green to white skin and white flesh. It has a slightly textured edible skin which is slightly soft when ripe. It is 100mm in diameter and round shaped. Guava is rich in vitamins C and A, dietary fibre, folic acid and minerals.
It has a strong distinctive fruity aroma. Ripe fruits have a granular sweet aromatic flesh under the skin. The centre of the fruit is juicy and contains many small edible seeds.
Flowers: Guavas flower when the weather warms up in Spring. The guava flowers are white, about 25 mm in diameter and occur singly or in small clusters. They have a slight perfume. The petals fall soon after the flower opens, leaving a fluffy brush behind which develops into a fruit
Growing conditions: Guavas are easy to grow in subtropical and tropical areas. They are a small evergreen tree, growing to about 3 metres in height, with a spreading canopy. They are very useful for shade or as an ornamental tree. The trunk has distinctive flaky bark. The leaves are aromatic, longish and leathery. They like a sheltered position in rich, well-drained soil and plenty of water. They grow well in a pot. They can tolerate mild frost. You can prune the tree to shape as a screen or hedge or to make picking easier. Fruit occurs on new growth so pruning won't reduce your crop.
Uses: Eat Indian Guava fresh, sliced into fruit salad, as a dessert, or with salt or spice as a savoury (Indian style). Guava is good stewed or poached. Puree can be made into ice-cream. The flesh can be dried into paste (like quince paste), or can be frozen. Indian Guavas can be juiced to make a healthy juice or puree full of vitamin C. Guavas make very good jam and, as they contain a lot of pectin, they help jam set so Guava flesh can be added to other fruits in jam-making.
Medicinal uses: Guava plant parts have many traditional medicinal uses such as treating gastric upsets and diarrhoea. The crushed leaves can be used to relieve pain of infections of skin, throat, gums and aching joints.
Pollination requirements: Self-Pollinating
Harvest time Indian Guava fruits mature in Autumn and Winter. Pick these guavas when they are ripe.
Plant relatives There are many other Guava species, including Hawaiian Guava, Thai White Guava, Feijoa, Red Cherry Guava, Yellow Cherry Guava, and Guisaro.
Special features: The leaves and bark contain a large amount of tannin hence are useful for tanning hides. Guavas make good bonsai specimens.
Grown by method: Seed Grown Pot size: 140mm
Plant growing Height and Width for pots or in the ground planting: Grows to 2 metres high by 1.5 metres wide if Planted in a Pot. Grows 3 metres high by 2.5 metres wide if Planted in the Ground.
Shipping plant pot or planter bag size: 140mm
