Psidium guajava - Guava
Family:
Native to:
Habitat:
Myrtaceae
Parts of South America.
Pasture. Disturbed areas. 10 meter tall tree, up to 2040 meters above sea level.
Ecological value:
Seeds spread easily. They provide protection against damaging winds and rain. Pollinated by insects, mainly by common honey bees. Medium growth rate. Pioneer. Tolerates a wide range of temperatures. Average fruit yields : 30 - 40 kg/plant in 5 year-old plants, up to 50 years.
Material uses:
Moderately heavy wood, strong, used for furniture, fencing carpentry, turning (handles), and toothbrushes. Resistant to insect and fungal attack. Fuelwood. Leaves and bark for dyeing and tanning (black dye). Essential oils from leaves.
Edible uses:
Fruit raw or cooked, as a juice or a jelly. Contains more potassium than bananas by weight. Fruiting begins after 5-8 years, lives about 40 years. Edible oil from seed.
Medicinal use:
Pulp contains vitamins, essential oils and terpenoid acids. The leaf extract has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances. Used to treat intestinal pathogens.
Other details:
Can become invasive. Deep root, but no top root. Makes excellent firewood due to abundance. Moderately wind resistant. Spreads and grows very easily. Insecticidal properties. Cultivated as an ornamental. Good quality guava cultivated in river basins.
Research:
Jennifer Yaing/Christine Facella
Sources:
“Psidium Guajava L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science.” n.d. Plants of the World Online. Accessed November 16, 2023. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:600841-1/general-information.
“Psidium Guajava - Useful Tropical Plants.” n.d. Tropical.theferns.info. Accessed November 16, 2023. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Psidium+guajava.
Manandhar. N. P., ‘Plants and People of Nepal’, Timber Press. Oregon. 2002
Image source: AlbeitPK.