Family: Myrtaceae (myrtle family)
Origin: Guava is indigenous to the American tropics
Uses: Fruit; landscape specimen; hedge
Height 20 ft (6.1 m)
Crown: Broad, spreading or upright
Plant habit: Arborescent shrub or small tree
Growth rate: Very quickly, often three to four feet in a single growing season
Longevity: They live 30 to 40 years but productivity declines after the 15th year
Trunk/bark/branches: Single or multi trunked; smooth, thin, copper-colored bark that flakes off, showing the greenish layer beneath; young branchlets are quadrangular
Pruning requirement: Periodic pruning to improve the shape of the tree is recommended
Leaves: Evergreen; large; opposite, oblong; serrated margins; prominent veins on the lower side; 3-7 in. (7.6–18 cm) in length ¹
Flower: Showy, white; has perfect flowers (male and female parts in each flower); new growth arising from either lateral buds on older wood or at the ends of shoots ¹
Fruit: Round, ovoid, or pyriform; commonly yellow in color; flesh white to deep pink or salmon-red; numerous small, reniform, hard seeds; flavor sweet, musky ³
Season: Harvested in Florida all year long; main seasons are Aug.-Oct. and Feb.-Mar.
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Soil tolerances: Moist to dry soil
pH preference: 4.5-7.0
Drought tolerance: High
Flood tolerance: Moderate
Wind tolerance: Generally tolerant of windy conditions
Aerosol/soil salt tolerance: Will take some salt spray, but are not recommended for highly exposed locations on seaside or Intracoastal areas
Cold tolerance: 27-28 °F (-2.8-2.2 °C)
Plant spacing: 33 ft (10 m); 16 ½ ft (5 m) apart is possible if the trees are “hedged”
Roots: Trees produced by cuttings and air-layering have shallow root systems; some deep roots but no distinct taproot
Invasive potential: Guava has been assessed by the IFAS Invasive Plants Working Group as invasive and not recommended by IFAS for planting in south Florida; guava may be planted in central Florida but should be managed to prevent escape
Pest resistance: Guava trees are attacked by a number of insect pests including the Caribbean fruit fly, guava whitefly, red-banded thrips, guava fruit moth, and scales
Known hazard: P. guajava has insecticidal properties