Types of Guava Trees

The guava tree is a fruit-bearing tree that grows in subtropical regions of Central America, Florida and islands in the Caribbean Sea. Although many guava trees appear like small shrubs, they can reach heights of 40 feet when they fully mature. The fruit of guava trees typically ripen in the summer and fall months. Depending on the variety, the flesh guava fruits have a wide range of colors, including red, pink and white.

Cattely Guava
After they are planted, it takes cattely guava trees approximately three years before they fully mature. When they are mature, cattely guava trees reach a height of up to 40 feet. The bark on guava trees is thin and has a copper coloring. These trees originate in eastern Brazil, but are also cultivated in the Caribbean Islands, Florida and Bermuda. Cattely guava trees are evergreen and when their leaves are crushed or split, they release a sweet fragrance. The leaves have an oval shape and grow to 6 inches in length. These trees also grow white flowers that are 1-inch wide and have five petals. The fruit on cattely guavas has a reddish or purple color when it ripens and its flesh is white.

Costa Rican
Originating in Costa Rica, the Costa Rican guava grows up from 20 to 35 feet when it matures, a process that takes approximately two to three years. Costa Rican guava trees have red-brown bark with grayish patches on its trunk. This evergreen tree has leaves that grow up to 4 inches and have a elliptical shape. The fruit of Costa Rican guava trees is green when it starts to grow, but turns into a pale yellow color when it ripens. The flesh of Costa Rican guavas is white and has an acidic taste. This guava variety also grows naturally in Colombia and southern Mexico, but it is also cultivated in Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador.

Red Indian
The Red Indian guava tree was created in the 1940s as a result of experimentation in Dade County, Florida. The fruit on this tree is known for the strong scent it emits when it is split open. Red Indian guavas grow from 2 to 4 inches when they fully ripen, which occurs during the late summer and early autumn. These guavas are usually harvested in the fall and early winter. The skin on this fruit is a reddish color and it has a pinkish flesh. The trees reach heights of up to 30 to 40 feet when it matures. The trees take nearly three years to mature. Red Indian guava trees have thin, brownish bark and its evergreen leaves grow to 4 inches long.

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What Is a Guava Tree?

The guava is a small, tropical tree with expansive branches that grows outdoors in warm regions of the United States, such as California, Florida and Hawaii. This evergreen tree blooms with small, white flowers that develop into soft-skinned, fragrant, sweet-tasting fruit. The guava produces fruit throughout the year, with peak blooming time occurring in spring.

Identification
Guava (Psidium guajava) is believed to be native to the American tropics, including southern Mexico and Central America. The tree has naturalized in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In North America, the guava is grown commercially in Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Florida.

The guava tree reaches 20 to 33 feet high. The plant has dull-green, stiff, leathery leaves that are fragrant when crushed and a distinctive copper-colored bark that naturally flakes off, exposing green bark underneath.

Types
Numerous varieties of guava exist. In general, the fruit is divided into pink and white fruit types. In pink flesh varieties, you'll find Ruby, Blitch, Patillo, Hong Kong Pink and Miami Red. In white flesh varieties, you'll see Supreme, Detwiler, Sweet White Indonesian, White Indian, White Seedless and Webber.

Growing Requirements
Guava trees thrive in warm, tropical climates and require temperatures ranging from 73 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant growth stops when temperatures dip below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Guava trees require a full-sun location. Though the trees can grow in a wide variety of soil types, guavas grow best in well-draining soils high in organic matter with a pH range of five to seven. The trees don't tolerate wet, salty soils.

Although guava trees can survive with little or no watering, they grow and fruit the best when deeply watered on a weekly basis during the warm months. Guavas are heavy feeders, requiring monthly application of a well-balanced fertilizer from mid-January to mid-November. Copper and zinc foliar sprays are also recommended once a year.

To prevent frost damage, guava trees are best planted in a sheltered location such as under a roof overhang or next to the western or southern side of the house, which tend to be the warmest areas in the landscape. Move potted plants indoors when frost threatens.

Potential Problems
Guava trees are susceptible to foliar diseases, such as anthracnose, particularly in humid climates. Regular application of fungicides tends to keep this condition in check. Other potential problems for guava include the root-rot nematode, which feeds on plant roots and weakens trees. The guava whitefly, guava moth and Caribbean fruit fly are major problems in southern Florida. In California, problematic pests include mealybugs, scale insects, thrips and common whiteflies.

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