Psidium guajava
Common name
yellow guava
Family
Myrtaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Detailed description
Yellow guava is a small tree, growing to c. 3m, with smooth bark. The leaves are large (up to 14 x 7 cm) and have strong venation. Young leaves are densely hairy. The fruit are up top 4 cm diameter and yellow-skinned containing many hard seeds.
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
Similar taxa
P. guajava can be distinguished from P. cattleianum by the hairy leaves (especially when young) and by the strongly impressed veins above and raised below.
Flowering
July, August, September, October, November, December, January, February, March
Flower colours
White, Yellow
Fruiting
November-March
Life cycle
Perennial. Reproduces by seed and suckering; each fruit containing numerous seeds. Bird dispersed (Lisa Forester 1996). Rats also eat the fruit but will destroy many of the seeds.
Threats
This taxon may be prone to Myrtle Rust (Austropuccinia psidii) is an invasive fungus which threatens myrtle species - learn more myrtlerust.org.nz
Year naturalised
1965
Origin
Trop America
Reason for introduction
Agricultural
Tolerances
Intolerance of frost and deep shade (Cameron 1996)