Editing Psidium guajava

'''Guava''' ('''''Psidium guajava'''''; also common guava; apple guava; guayaba) is a Myrtaceae fruit plant grown for its berry.

{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 400px; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[File:Starr 020803-0117 Psidium guajava.jpg|thumb|center|250px|Psidium guajava fruit, flower, or plant habit. Wikimedia Commons file page.]]
|-
! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Guava (''Psidium guajava '')
|-
! Scientific name
|| ''Psidium guajava''
|-
! Genus
|| [[Psidium]]
|-
! Family
|| [[Myrtaceae]]
|-
! Order
|| [[Myrtales]]
|-
! Fruit type
|| Berry
|-
! Growth form
|| Evergreen shrub or small tree
|-
! Climate and hardiness
|| Tropical to subtropical; tolerates brief light frost when mature
|-
! Mature height
|| 3–10 m
|-
! Mature width
|| 3–8 m
|-
! Soil
|| Adaptable, from sand to clay if drainage is adequate; tolerates moderate salinity better than many fruit trees
|-
! Water
|| Regular moisture for production; established plants tolerate dry periods
|-
! Sun
|| Full sun
|-
! Germination
|| 2–8 weeks; seedling plants are variable
|-
! Years to fruit
|| 2–4 years from seed or grafted plants
|-
! Pollination
|| Self-fertile, with bees increasing fruit set; cross-pollination can improve yield
|-
! Harvest
|| Often year-round in the tropics; seasonal crops in subtropics
|}

== Identification and description ==
Common guava is a vigorous Myrtaceae shrub or small tree with fragrant white flowers and berries whose flesh may be white, pink, or red. Cultivars vary greatly in seediness, aroma, texture, and fruit size.

The accepted genus, family, and order are [[Psidium]], [[Myrtaceae]], and [[Myrtales]]. Common names may cover related taxa; check the scientific name before transferring cultivation advice.

== Growing ==
Guava occupies disturbed forest, woodland margins, and open tropical sites from humid to seasonally dry climates. It tolerates a broad soil range, but full sun, pruning, and good airflow improve flowering and fruit quality.

Guava is naturally a plant of warm, often seasonally dry habitats, forest edges, and disturbed ground. It responds to pruning and can be kept compact. Heavy wet soils, excessive nitrogen, and dense canopies increase disease and reduce fruit quality.

=== Soil ===
Adaptable, from sand to clay if drainage is adequate; tolerates moderate salinity better than many fruit trees.

=== Sun and humidity ===
Full sun. Native habitat and airflow matter as much as light intensity; avoid enclosing humid foliage without ventilation.

=== Seasonal changes ===
Flowering can follow a dry interval, pruning, or renewed irrigation. In humid tropics, several crops may occur; in subtropical climates the main flowering period is warmer and fruit may be damaged by cool weather. Keep roots moist during flowering and fruit enlargement but avoid saturation.

== Propagation ==
Seed is easy but does not preserve cultivar traits. Air-layering, cuttings, budding, and grafting are used for selected fruit types. Remove suckers if a clean trunk is desired, or retain them for a multi-stem shrub.

[[File:Psidium guajava at Kadavoor.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Field view or fruit detail of Psidium guajava. Wikimedia Commons file page.]]

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==
Often year-round in the tropics; seasonal crops in subtropics. Flowering and ripening are strongly affected by latitude, cultivar, rootstock, rainfall, and temperature; local records are more useful than a single universal calendar.

== Fruit and uses ==
Eat ripe guava fresh, with or without the skin, or process it into juice, nectar, paste, jelly, jam, and desserts. Green fruit is used in preserves and savory preparations. The fruit is rich in aroma and vitamin C.


== Commentary ==
Growers are invited to share observations about Guava on the [[Talk:Psidium guajava|talk page]], especially climate, provenance, propagation method, plant age, flowering season, and fruit quality.


== Photos ==

The images above show documented fruit, flower, or plant-habit views. See the individual Commons file pages in the image credits for authorship and license details.

== Sources ==
* [https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/guava.html Purdue NewCROP: Guava]
* [https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG045 UF/IFAS: Guava]
* [https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Psidium+guajava Useful Tropical Plants: Psidium guajava]



== Image credits ==

* [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_020803-0117_Psidium_guajava.jpg Starr 020803-0117 Psidium guajava.jpg] — Wikimedia Commons file page; creator and license are recorded on the source page.
* [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Psidium_guajava_at_Kadavoor.jpg Psidium guajava at Kadavoor.jpg] — Wikimedia Commons file page; creator and license are recorded on the source page.

[[Category:Fruits]]
[[Category:Myrtaceae]]
[[Category:Psidium]]