Guavas are evergreen, faintly fragrant, shallow-rooted shrubs or small trees to 33 ft, with spreading branches. Growth in California is rarely over 10 - 12 feet. The bark is smooth, mottled green or reddish brown and peels off in thin flakes to reveal the attractive "bony" aspect of its trunk. The plant branches close to the ground and often produces suckers from roots near the base of the trunk.
Guavas are primarily self-fruitful, although some strains seem to produce more fruit when cross-pollinated with another variety. Guavas can bloom throughout the year in mild-winter areas, but the heaviest bloom occurs with the onset of warm weather in the spring. The exact time can vary from year to year depending on weather. The chief pollinator of guavas is the honeybee.
Guava fruits may be round, ovoid or pear-shaped, 2 - 4 inches long and are used in jam and juice.
Small trees may be killed by temperatures of 27-28F, while older trees withstand short periods of 25-26F without much damage. However, if the top of trees are frozen, they usually sprout from the ground and are back in production in 2-3 years.
Sowing instructions:
Lightly cover with sand/compost soil mixture, keep warm, damp and in bright light. Fertilize lightly each week.
