For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Wild Guava (Psidium guajava)
Family Myrtaceae
The inside of the wild fruit is yellow when ripe and not pink like the cultivated quava.
This is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to Mexico, Central and South America.
Widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, guava fruits can range in size from as small as an apricot to as large as a grapefruit. Various cultivars have white, pink, or red flesh, and a few also feature red (instead of green) skin.
When cultivated from seed, guavas are notable for an extremely slow growth rate for several months, before a very rapid acceleration in growth rate takes over. From seed, common guavas may bloom and set fruit in as few as 2 years, or as many as 8. Cuttings and grafting are more commonly used as a propagation method in commercial groves. Highly adaptable, guavas can be easily grown as container plants in temperate regions, though their ability to bloom and set fruit is somewhat less predictable. In some tropical locales, guavas can become invasive.
The plant is used in many different shampoo products for its scent. It is also becoming a popular Bonsai Species and is currently quite popular in India and Eastern Asia.
