Guava berry
Myrciaria floribunda

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A small evergreen tree. It grows 15 m high. The bark is pale and smooth. The leaves are simple and deep green. They are 9 cm long. They are sword shaped and with a long point. The flowers are white and showy. They are almost without stalks. There are 4 fringed petals and a clump of golden stamens. The fruit are small and yellow with a sweet aromatic pulp. They can be red. They are 10 mm across. They have one or two seeds.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It suits the warm tropical lowlands. It is native to tropical America. It grows in dry or humid coastal woodland. It grows up to 300 m altitude. It can tolerate drought. It has some salt tolerance. It needs full sun. It does best is a rich loam.

Countries/locations it is found in

Belize, Bolivia, Brazil (country/location of origin), Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Lesser Antilles, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit is eaten fresh or used for flavouring. It is used for jam or juice. The fruit are used to make a liqueur.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The seeds are collected from ripe fruit that are allowed to decompose for a few days before the seeds are washed out under running water. Seeds need to be planted while fresh. They should be in light shade. The seedlings emerge in 40-50 days.

It is very slow growing. It takes 6-8 years to bear fruit from seed. Fruit matures in 60 days.

Its other names

Local names

Arrayan, Boesigoejaba, Bois mulatre, Cabo de Chivo, Camboim, Camboim-vermelho, Cambuiva, Chepucuy, Coro-carette, Escobillo, Guaveberry, Guayabillo, Guayabito, Meriso-cerise, Mije, Mirto, Murta, Rumberry, Rumberry eugenia, Saitjaberan

Synonyms

Acinodendron sellowianum (O. Berg) Kuntze; Corycorectes cubensis Griseb.; Eugenia floribunda H. West ex Willd.; Myrciaria ciliolata (Cambess.) O. Berg.; Myrciaria tenuiramis O. Berg.; Myrciaria protacta (Steud.) O. Berg.; Myrica cubensis (Griseb.) Krug & Urb.; Plinia rubrinervis Urb.; and many others