Guava

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iGuava

Apple Guava Psidium guajava
fruit and leaves

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Psidium L.

Species

About 100 species, see text.

Guava (from Spanish Guayaba; Goiaba in Portuguese) is a genus of about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, native to the Caribbean, Central America and northern South America. The leaves are opposite, simple, elliptic to ovate, 5-15 cm long. The flowers are white, with five petals and numerous stamens. Psidium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Eupseudosoma aberrans, Snowy Eupseudosoma and Hypercompe icasia.

Strawberry Guava Psidium cattleianum

The fruit is edible, round to pear-shaped, from 3-10 cm in diameter (to 12 cm in some selected cultivars). It has a thin delicate rind, pale green to yellow at maturity in some species, pink to red in others, a creamy white or orange-salmon flesh with many small hard seeds, and a strong, characteristic aroma. It is rich in vitamins A, B, and C.

[edit] Cultivation and uses

Guavas are cultivated in many tropical countries for their edible fruits. Several species are grown commercially; those listed below are the most important. The fruit is commonly eaten whole, but is often prepared in a variety of ways as a dessert. In Asia, raw guava is often dipped in salt or prune powder. Boiled guava is also extensively used to make candies, preserves, jellies, jams, marmalades (goiabada), and juices. In Asia, a tea is made from guava fruits and leaves. In Egypt, guava juice is popular.

Guava leaves are used for medicinal purposes, as a remedy for diarrhea^{[citation needed]}, and for their supposed antimicrobial properties. The same anti-diarrheal substances which are useful in folk medicine may also cause constipation in the case of consumption of large amounts of guava fruits.

The plants are frost-sensitive. In several tropical regions, including Hawaii, some species have become invasive weed shrubs. It is also of interest for home growers in temperate areas, as one of the very few tropical fruit that can be grown to fruiting size in pots indoors.

Red guavas can also be used as the base of salted products such as sauces, thus replacing tomatoes specially for those who suffer from the latter's acidity.

Selected species