Psidium guajava (guava)

Pictures

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Picture	Title	Caption	Copyright
Title Line drawing of plant Caption P. guajava: 1, flowering branch; 2, fruiting branch. Reproduced from the series 'Plant Resources of South-East Asia', by kind permission of the PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Copyright PROSEA Foundation	Line drawing of plant	P. guajava: 1, flowering branch; 2, fruiting branch. Reproduced from the series 'Plant Resources of South-East Asia', by kind permission of the PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia.	PROSEA Foundation
Title Foliage Caption Psidium guajava; foliage and flowers. Copyright ©A.R. Pittaway	Foliage	Psidium guajava; foliage and flowers.	©A.R. Pittaway
Title Flowers Caption Psidium guajava; close-up of flowers. Copyright ©A.R. Pittaway	Flowers	Psidium guajava; close-up of flowers.	©A.R. Pittaway
Title Tree habit Caption Copyright ©K.M. Siddiqui	Tree habit		©K.M. Siddiqui
Title Foliage Caption Copyright ©K.M. Siddiqui	Foliage		©K.M. Siddiqui

Identity

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Preferred Scientific Name

• Psidium guajava L., 1753

Preferred Common Name

• guava

Other Scientific Names

• Guaiava pyriformis Gaertn.
• Guajava pumila (Vahl) Kuntze
• Guajava pyrifera (L.) Kuntze
• Myrtus guajava (L.) Kuntze
• Myrtus guajava var. pyrifera (L.) Kuntze
• Psidium angustifolium Lam.
• Psidium aromaticum Blanco
• Psidium cujavillus Burm. f.
• Psidium cujavus L.
• Psidium fragrans Macfad.
• Psidium guajava var. cujavillum (Burm.f.) Krug & Urb.
• Psidium guajava var. minor Mattos
• Psidium igatemyense Barb. Rodr.
• Psidium intermedium Zipp. ex Blume
• Psidium pomiferum L.
• Psidium pomiferum var. sapidissimum (Jacq.) DC.
• Psidium prostratum O. Berg
• Psidium pumilum Vahl
• Psidium pumilum var. guadalupense DC.
• Psidium pyriferum L.
• Psidium pyriferum var. glabrum Benth.
• Psidium sapidissimum Jacq.
• Psidium vulgare Rich.
• Syzygium ellipticum K. Schum. & Lauterb.

International Common Names

• English: apple guava; Brazilian guava; common guava; Guinea guava; lemon guava; pear guava; tropical guava; yellow guava
• Spanish: guayaba; guayaba agria; guayaba blanca; guayaba cimarrona; guayaba del Perú; guayaba dulce; guayabero; guayabita; guayabita del Perú; guayabo; guyava
• French: gouyave; goyave; goyavier; goyovier commun
• Arabic: guwâfah
• Chinese: fan shi liu
• Portuguese: goiaba; goiabero; guiaiva

Local Common Names

• Brazil: araca; araçá-goiaba; araçá-guaçú; araçá-guaiava; araçá-guiaba; araçá-uaçú; goabeira; goiaba; goiaba-branca; goiaba-pêra; goiaba-vermelha; goiabeira-branca; goibaçu; guaiaba; guava; guiava; puruí
• Brunei Darussalam: biyabas; jambu batu
• Cambodia: trapaek sruk
• Cuba: guayaba cotorrera; guayabo; guayabo agrio; guayabo cotorrero; guayabo del Perú
• Dominican Republic: guayaba injerta; guayabo
• Germany: Guavenbaum
• Guam: abas
• Haiti: goavier
• India: amarood; ettajama; jamba; jamphal; jamrukh; mansala; piyara; sapari; tupkel
• Indonesia: jambu biji
• Indonesia/Java: jambu klutuk
• Italy: guaia giallo; pero del India
• Kenya: pera
• Laos: si da
• Lesser Antilles: gwiyav; kwiyabu; white guava
• Malaysia: jambu berase; jambu biji; jambu kampuchia
• Mexico: enandi; guayaba perulera; pichi; posh
• Myanmar: malakapen
• Netherlands: guavaboom
• Philippines: bayabas; guyabas
• Saint Lucia: gwiyav
• Tanzania: pera
• Thailand: farang; ma-kuai; ma-man
• USA/Hawaii: kuawa
• Vietnam: oi

EPPO code

• PSIGU (Psidium guajava)

Summary of Invasiveness

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P. guajava is a fast growing tropical and subtropical species adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions. It is tolerant of shade, a precocious and prolific reproducer with seed dispersal aided by avian and mammalian vectors. It can form dense thickets which displace native vegetation and is reported as an invasive weed in many countries. The balance between its valuable fruit production and its invasive potential requires careful monitoring.

Taxonomic Tree

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• Domain: Eukaryota
•     Kingdom: Plantae
•         Phylum: Spermatophyta
•             Subphylum: Angiospermae
•                 Class: Dicotyledonae
•                     Order: Myrtales
•                         Family: Myrtaceae
•                             Genus: Psidium
•                                 Species: Psidium guajava

Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature

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The genus Psidium is composed of approximately 150 species of evergreen trees and shrubs in the American tropics. A good taxonomic classification of this genus is lacking. Psidium guajava is by far the most widely known and distributed (Paull and Duarte, 2012).

Psidium, except for P. guajava, is represented by di-, tetra-, hexa- and octoploid species (2n = 22) (Hirano and Nakasone, 1969). Psidium cujavillus, P. guineense and P. friedrichsthalianum from El Salvador are tetraploids (2n = 24), while the latter species from Costa Rica is a hexaploid (2n = 66). Vegetatively, plants of the two separate accessions show no visible differences (Janick and Paull, 2008).

Description

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Shallow-rooted shrub or small tree, up to 10 m tall, branching from the base and often producing suckers. Bark smooth, green to red-brown, peeling off in thin flakes. Young twigs four-angled and ridged, pubescent. Leaves opposite, with translucid punstations; petiole 3-10 mm long; blade elliptic to oblong, 5-15 x 3-7 cm, glabrous above, finely pubescent beneath, veins prominent below. Flowers solitary or in two- to three-flowered axillary cymes, about 3 cm in diameter; four to six calyx lobes, 1-1.5 cm long, irregular; petals four to five, white, 1-2 cm long; stamens numerous, 1-2 cm long; ovary 4-5-locular; style 1.5-2 cm long, stigma capitate. Fruit a berry, globose, ovoid or pyriform, 4-12 cm long, surmounted by the persistent calyx lobes; exocarp green to yellow; mesocarp fleshy, white, yellow, pink or red, sour to sweet and aromatic. Seeds numerous, yellowish, bony, reniform, 3-5 mm long, embedded in a pink or white pulp.

Plant Type

Top of page Broadleaved
Perennial
Seed propagated
Shrub
Tree
Woody

Distribution

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The native distribution range of P. guajava is uncertain. Many botanists consider the species to be native to tropical America, probably from southern Mexico to South America, but its distribution has been greatly extended through cultivation and it is now widespread throughout the tropics and subtropics. Currently, this species is naturalized in the Old World tropics and in the West Indies (Cronk and Fuller, 1995). Some authors consider P. guajava native to Asia, perhaps due to the fact that Linnaeus in 1753 described this species based on Old World collections. However, P. guajava was reported under the name guayabo by Fernandez de Oviedo in 1535 as being widely distributed in the West Indies, both cultivated and in the wild. This is only a few decades after the discovery of the New World and therefore very unlikely that the species was introduced and was able to spread across the West Indies in such a short period of time. The species was presumably introduced into the West Indies by ancient human migration from northern South America.

Distribution Table

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The distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.

Continent/Country/Region	Distribution	Last Reported	Origin	First Reported	Invasive	Planted	Reference	Notes
Asia
Bangladesh	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Brunei Darussalam	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002
Cambodia	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Chagos Archipelago	Present		Introduced				PIER, 2012
China	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
-Guangdong	Present		Introduced				Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2012
-Guangxi	Present		Introduced				Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2012
-Guizhou	Present		Introduced				Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2012
-Hainan	Present		Introduced				Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2012
-Hong Kong	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2012
-Sichuan	Present		Introduced				Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2012
-Yunnan	Present		Introduced				Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2012
Christmas Island (Indian Ocean)	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012
Cocos Islands	Present		Introduced				PIER, 2012
India	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
-Assam	Present		Introduced				Govaerts, 2013
Indonesia	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
-Kalimantan	Present		Introduced				Govaerts, 2013
-Sulawesi	Present		Introduced				Govaerts, 2013
Israel	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Japan	Present		Introduced				FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Laos	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002
Malaysia	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
-Peninsular Malaysia	Present		Introduced				Govaerts, 2013
Maldives	Present		Introduced				PIER, 2012; FAO, 2013
Myanmar	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002
Philippines	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012; FAO, 2013
Singapore	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012
South East Asia	Present					Planted
Sri Lanka	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Taiwan	Present		Introduced				Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2012
Thailand	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Vietnam	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Africa
Angola	Present		Introduced				Govaerts, 2013
Botswana	Present		Introduced			Planted	Buss, 2002
Burkina Faso	Present		Introduced				FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Cameroon	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Cape Verde	Present		Introduced		Not invasive	Planted	Weber, 2003; FAO, 2013
Central African Republic	Present		Introduced				FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Comoros	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012
Congo Democratic Republic	Present		Introduced				Govaerts, 2013
Côte d'Ivoire	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Eritrea	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002
Ethiopia	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Gabon	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002
Gambia	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Guinea	Present		Introduced				FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Guinea-Bissau	Present		Introduced				FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Kenya	Present		Introduced		Invasive	Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Madagascar	Present		Introduced				Madagascar Catalogue, 2012; FAO, 2013	Naturalized
Malawi	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Mauritania	Present		Introduced				Govaerts, 2013
Mayotte	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012
Mozambique	Present		Introduced				FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Namibia	Present		Introduced				FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Nigeria	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Réunion	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012; FAO, 2013
Senegal	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Seychelles	Present		Introduced				PIER, 2012; FAO, 2013
South Africa	Present		Introduced		Invasive	Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Southern Africa	Present					Planted
Spain
-Canary Islands	Present		Introduced				DAISIE, 2013	Planted
Sudan	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002
Tanzania	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002
Togo	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002
Uganda	Present		Introduced				Sheil, 1994; World Agroforestry Centre, 2002
Zambia	Present		Introduced				Govaerts, 2013
Zimbabwe	Present		Introduced			Planted	Cronk & Fuller, 1995; FAO, 2013
North America
Bermuda	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Govaerts, 2013
Mexico	Present		Native			Planted, Natural	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
USA	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
-California	Present		Introduced			Planted
-Florida	Present		Introduced	1847	Invasive		Miller et al., 2002; Luken and Thieret, 1997; USDA-NRCS, 2002
-Hawaii	Present		Introduced	early 1800s	Invasive		Cronk & Fuller, 1995; Luken and Thieret, 1997; USDA-NRCS, 2002
-Louisiana	Present		Introduced				USDA-NRCS, 2013
Central America and Caribbean
Anguilla	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012	Cultivated and naturalized
Antigua and Barbuda	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Aruba	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Boldingh, 1914	Cultivated
Bahamas	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; USDA-ARS, 2012
Barbados	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012	Cultivated and naturalized
Belize	Present		Native				USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
British Virgin Islands	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012	Cultivated and naturalized on Guana, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda
Cayman Islands	Present		Introduced		Invasive		FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Costa Rica	Present		Introduced		Invasive		World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Weed in pastures
Cuba	Present		Introduced	Before 1535	Invasive		World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Curaçao	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Boldingh, 1914	Cultivated
Dominica			Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Dominican Republic	Present		Introduced	Before 1535	Invasive		World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
El Salvador	Present		Native				USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Grenada	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Guadeloupe	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Guatemala	Present		Native				USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Haiti	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Honduras	Present		Native				USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Jamaica	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013
Martinique	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Montserrat	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Netherlands Antilles	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012	Cultivated and naturalized
Nicaragua	Present		Native				USDA-ARS, 2012; Govaerts, 2013
Panama	Present		Native				World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013
Puerto Rico	Present		Introduced	Before 1535	Invasive		USDA-NRCS, 2002; Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized. Also on Mona Island, Vieques, and Culebra
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012	Cultivated and naturalized
Saint Lucia	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			Broome et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Trinidad and Tobago	Present		Introduced	Before 1535			USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
United States Virgin Islands	Present		Introduced	Before 1535	Invasive		USDA-NRCS, 2002; Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012	Cultivated and naturalized on St Croix, St John and St Thomas
South America
Argentina	Present		Introduced		Invasive		USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013; I3N-Argentina, 2013
Bolivia	Present		Native				USDA-ARS, 2012; Govaerts, 2013
Brazil	Present		Introduced		Invasive	Planted	Ziller and Rosa, 2001; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013
-Acre	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Forzza et al., 2012
-Alagoas	Present		Introduced				Forzza et al., 2012
-Amazonas	Present		Introduced				Forzza et al., 2012
-Bahia	Present		Introduced				Forzza et al., 2012
-Ceara	Present		Introduced				Forzza et al., 2012
-Espirito Santo	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Forzza et al., 2012
-Maranhao	Present		Introduced				Forzza et al., 2012
-Mato Grosso	Present		Introduced				Forzza et al., 2012
-Mato Grosso do Sul	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Forzza et al., 2012
-Minas Gerais	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Forzza et al., 2012
-Paraiba	Present		Introduced		Invasive		I3N-Brasil, 2013
-Parana	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Forzza et al., 2012
-Pernambuco	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Forzza et al., 2012
-Piaui	Present		Introduced				Forzza et al., 2012
-Rio de Janeiro	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Forzza et al., 2012
-Rio Grande do Sul	Present		Introduced				Forzza et al., 2012
-Santa Catarina	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Forzza et al., 2012
-Sao Paulo	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Forzza et al., 2012
-Sergipe	Present		Introduced				Forzza et al., 2012
-Tocantins	Present		Introduced		Invasive		I3N-Brasil, 2013
Chile	Present							Present based on regional distribution.
-Easter Island	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012
Colombia	Present		Native			Planted, Natural	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
Ecuador	Present		Native				World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013
-Galapagos Islands	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Cronk & Fuller, 1995; Mauchamp, 1997
French Guiana	Present		Introduced				Funk et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Guyana	Present		Introduced				World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; Funk et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Paraguay	Present		Native				USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013; Govaerts, 2013
Peru	Present		Native				World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013
Suriname	Present		Introduced				Funk et al., 2007; USDA-ARS, 2012; FAO, 2013	Cultivated and naturalized
Venezuela	Present		Native				World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; USDA-ARS, 2012
Europe
Greece	Present		Introduced			Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002
Portugal	Present							Present based on regional distribution.
-Madeira	Present		Introduced				DAISIE, 2013	Planted
Spain	Present		Introduced				DAISIE, 2013	Planted
Oceania
American Samoa	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; PIER, 2012
Australia	Present		Introduced		Invasive		World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; Weber, 2003; FAO, 2013
-Australian Northern Territory	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Weeds of Australia, 2012
-Lord Howe Is.	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Weeds of Australia, 2012
-New South Wales	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Weeds of Australia, 2012
-Queensland	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Weeds of Australia, 2012
Cook Islands	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; PIER, 2012; FAO, 2013
Fiji	Present		Introduced		Invasive	Planted	World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; FAO, 2013
French Polynesia	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; PIER, 2012
-Marquesas	Present		Introduced		Invasive	Planted	Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002
Guam	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; PIER, 2012; FAO, 2013
Kiribati	Present		Introduced			Planted	Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002
Marshall Islands	Present		Introduced			Planted	Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002
Micronesia, Federated states of	Present		Introduced			Planted	Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; FAO, 2013
Nauru	Present		Introduced			Planted	Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002
New Caledonia	Present		Introduced		Invasive	Planted	Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; FAO, 2013
New Zealand	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Cronk & Fuller, 1995; Owen, 1996
Niue	Present		Introduced			Planted	Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; PIER, 2012
Norfolk Island	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012
Northern Mariana Islands	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012
Palau	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; PIER, 2012
Papua New Guinea	Present		Introduced			Planted	Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002
Pitcairn Island	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; PIER, 2012
Samoa	Present		Introduced		Invasive		World Agroforestry Centre, 2002; PIER, 2012; FAO, 2013
Solomon Islands	Present		Introduced		Invasive		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 2002; PIER, 2012
Tonga	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012
Tuvalu	Present		Introduced				PIER, 2012
Vanuatu	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012
Wallis and Futuna Islands	Present		Introduced		Invasive		PIER, 2012; FAO, 2013

History of Introduction and Spread

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The Spanish took P. guajava east across the Pacific and the Portuguese took it west to Africa and India. At present it is well distributed and naturalized throughout the tropics and subtropics. Due to its ease of culture, the high nutritional value of the fruit and the popularity of the processed products, guava is important in international trade as well as in the local markets of over 60 tropical and subtropical countries. The largest producers are countries in Central and South America (Brazil, Mexico), India and Thailand (100,000 t in 1981/82), and production is increasing in the Caribbean, Hawaii, Florida (USA) and South Africa. Several authors regard P. guajava as a highly invasive species (Cronk and Fuller, 1995; Binggeli, 1999). In New Zealand it is regarded as a potential problem weed species (Owen, 1996). It was one of the first introduced species on the Galapagos islands to be recognized for its invasive behaviour (Mauchamp, 1997). It is only present on the inhabited islands and is one of a number of species that are causing serious environmental damage (Mauchamp, 1997).

In some Pacific Islands, as well as in Central American countries such as Costa Rica, P. guajava is an important weed in pastures, where it is difficult to eradicate and leads to land degradation (Somarriba, 1995). On the Pacific island of Chuuk, Space et al. (2000) list it among species that are known to be invasive elsewhere and are cultivated, common or weedy on the island. It is widely distributed on all the main Hawaiian islands, on a wide range of soil conditions, and can form dense thickets there (Smith, 1998). It is also a weed in agricultural habitats in Puerto Rico (Federal Highway Administration, 2001) and considered invasive on Bermuda. In Florida it had naturalized by 1765 (Langeland and Burks, 1998). Sheil (1994) noted that it was regenerating in disturbed areas of the Budongo forest in Uganda. Ziller and Rosa (2001) also report invasive behaviour in Brazil. Indeed, many authors link its spread to disturbance events, for example in open glades created by storms or logging activities. 

In the West Indies, P. guajava was probably introduced by aborigines before the arrival of Christopher Columbus. By 1535, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo, one of the first writers to chronicle the Spanish colonization of the Caribbean region, described this species as “very common everywhere in the West Indies”. This author also mentioned that native people in the West Indies cultivated and consumed the fruits of this species (Fernández de Oviedo, 1535).

 

Risk of Introduction

Top of page This species has already been so widely introduced that it is likely to be present in almost all countries capable of growing it. The risk is therefore one of plants already present in cultivation escaping into wild environments. Given that guava production in many countries occurs in smallholdings and gardens this is likely to be difficult to control; monitoring to detect early signs of invasion would therefore be prudent. It is a category 2 invasive plant species on the Bahamas (Anon., 2003) and it appears on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant list of 1999 where it is described as a category 1 invasive that is altering plant communities (Miller et al., 2002). In South Africa it is declared a category 2 invader according to the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act 1983 (Henderson, 2001).

Habitat

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P. guajava thrives in both humid and dry climates at altitudes of 0-1500 m (or up to 2100 m in some regions). However, the optimum yield occurs in regions with a mean temperature range of 20-30°C, and a uniform annual rainfall of 1000-2000 mm. World Agroforestry Centre (2002) describe its original habitats savannah/shrub ecotones or frequently disturbed land. In its exotic range, P. guajava is an invader of forests and forest edges, pastures and grasslands, and riparian habitats (Cronk and Fuller, 1995; Weber, 2003). In South Africa it also invades savannah and roadside habitats (Henderson, 2001) and in Florida it grows in 'hammocks, pinelands and under cypress' (Langeland and Burks, 1998).

Habitat List

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Category	Habitat	Presence	Status
Terrestrial-managed
	Cultivated / agricultural land	Present, no further details	Harmful (pest or invasive)
	Disturbed areas	Present, no further details	Harmful (pest or invasive)
	Disturbed areas	Present, no further details	Natural
	Managed forests, plantations and orchards	Present, no further details	Harmful (pest or invasive)
	Managed grasslands (grazing systems)	Present, no further details	Harmful (pest or invasive)
	Rail / roadsides	Present, no further details	Harmful (pest or invasive)
Terrestrial-natural/semi-natural
	Natural forests	Present, no further details	Harmful (pest or invasive)
	Natural forests	Present, no further details	Natural
	Riverbanks	Present, no further details	Harmful (pest or invasive)
	Scrub / shrublands	Present, no further details	Harmful (pest or invasive)
	Scrub / shrublands	Present, no further details	Natural

Hosts/Species Affected

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P. guajava is generally an environmental weed though it is known to invade forests, both planted and natural, and managed grasslands, as well as occasionally affecting cultivated land and plantation crops.

Biology and Ecology

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Genetics

Cultivation has resulted in many varieties of this plant (Weber, 2003). In leading guava-producing countries, more or less extensive cultivar collections from all over the world are maintained, such as at the Tropical Fruit Research Station, Alstonville, Australia. Systematic breeding work was first undertaken in Hawaii to obtain better processing cultivars. Current standards for selection of processing cultivars in Hawaii include: fruit diameter at least 7.5 cm, diameter of cavity no more than 3.75 cm, fruit weight 200-300 g, seed content only 1-2%, dark pink colour, soluble solids 9-12%, vitamin C 300 mg per 100 g, flesh with few stone cells and with characteristic guava flavour. Important criteria for breeding programmes in the major fresh-fruit producing countries are yield potential, seedlessness and firm fruit that ripens slowly. Polyploidy is not uncommon in guava; parthenocarpy occurs in some diploid as well as triploid cultivars. The species shows great diversity in tree size, yield and fruit quality. Some wild seedlings produce very small seedy, gritty, musky fruit, whereas selected types can produce large, almost seedless, smooth-textured fruit with pleasant flesh (red or pink) and high flesh recovery. Dessert types have lower acidity and many are white- or yellow-fleshed. Numerous cultivars have been developed, including dual-purpose types, which are a compromise between dessert and processing requirements.

Physiology and Phenology

In good conditions, P. guajava may flower within the first 2 years. The trees reach full bearing after 5-8 years, depending on growing conditions and spacing. It is not a long-lived tree (about 40 years), but the plants may bear heavily for 15-25 years.

Reproductive Biology

Given appropriate conditions, P. guajava is able to reproduce at almost any time of year. The pollen is viable for up to 42 hours and the stigmas are receptive for about 2 days. Bees are the principal pollinators. There is some self- and cross-incompatibility. It has a hermaphrodite breeding system and produces large quantities of seeds that are then dispersed by birds and mammals. Guava seeds retain their viability for approximately 1 year at 8°C and low humidity. Vegetative reproduction from root suckers is common and impedes mechanical methods of control (Cronk and Fuller, 1995).

Environmental Requirements

P. guajava is a hardy tree that adapts to a wide range of growing conditions. In the tropics the tree is found from sea level to an altitude of about 1500 m and can stand temperatures from 15-45°C; the highest yields are recorded at mean temperatures of 23-28°C. In the subtropics, quiescent trees withstand light frosts, and 3.5-6 months of mean temperatures above 16°C (depending on the cultivar) suffice for flowering and fruiting. Guava is more drought-resistant than most tropical fruit crops. For maximum production in the tropics, however, it requires 1000-2000 mm of rain, evenly distributed over the year. If fruit ripens during a very wet period it loses flavour and may split.

Latitude/Altitude Ranges

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Latitude North (°N)	Latitude South (°S)	Altitude Lower (m)	Altitude Upper (m)
25	-24	0	2100

Air Temperature

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Parameter	Lower limit	Upper limit
Absolute minimum temperature (ºC)	-2	7
Mean annual temperature (ºC)	13	26
Mean maximum temperature of hottest month (ºC)	20	32
Mean minimum temperature of coldest month (ºC)	9	23

Rainfall

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Parameter	Lower limit	Upper limit	Description
Dry season duration	0	8	number of consecutive months with <40 mm rainfall
Mean annual rainfall	600	3000	mm; lower/upper limits

Rainfall Regime

Top of page Bimodal
Summer
Uniform
Winter

Soil Tolerances

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Soil drainage

• free

Soil reaction

• acid
• alkaline
• neutral

Soil texture

• heavy
• light
• medium

Special soil tolerances

• infertile
• saline

Notes on Natural Enemies

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Trees may wilt following infection by various soil fungi, and root rot caused by Phytophthora spp. is also thought to kill trees. The leaves are little affected by diseases, but anthracnose (Glomerella cingulata), which is more serious on the fruit, also affects the leaves. Blossom-end rot can become a serious disease in the rainy season; there may be physiological as well as pathological causes. Mucor rot, caused by the fungus Mucor hiemalis, spoils fruit punctured by insects. Young fruit are often seen blackened and mummified by G. cingulata or Botryodiplodia theobromae. Fruit canker, circular raised corky spots infected by Pestalotiopsis psidii, is also common. Orchard sanitation, in the form of early removal of infected plant parts, helps to reduce infections. Chemical control may be applied in the rainy season; dithane can be used against blossom-end rot and fruit canker, with additional control of anthracnose. Fruit flies are the most important pest; guava is a major host to species of Anastrepha, Ceratitis, Dacus and Argyresthia. Bagging the fruit is the main control method in continuously cropped orchards; if the crop is cycled, spraying with fenthion or use of bait sprays may provide additional means of control. Sucking insects such as scales, mealy bugs and thrips can largely be checked by predators and control of ants. Leaf-eating caterpillars and beetles may severely damage young trees; early detection greatly facilitates control by spot treatment.

Means of Movement and Dispersal

Top of page Birds and mammals eat the fruit and disperse the seeds (Cronk and Fuller, 1995), for example rats and feral pigs (Space, 2001). According to World Agroforestry Centre (2002) the principal dispersal agents are bats. It is widely planted in gardens and as an agroforestry species and from there is able to escape cultivation and colonize disturbed sites in semi-natural and natural environments. The pantropical distribution of this species is a result of its widespread intentional introduction as a commercial fruit crop.

Impact Summary

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Category	Impact
Animal/plant collections	None
Animal/plant products	None
Biodiversity (generally)	Negative
Crop production	Negative
Environment (generally)	Negative
Fisheries / aquaculture	None
Forestry production	Negative
Human health	None
Livestock production	Negative
Native fauna	None
Native flora	Negative
Rare/protected species	None
Tourism	None
Trade/international relations	None
Transport/travel	None

Economic Impact

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P. guajava can cause economic impacts through the alteration of pasture habitat and because it is a host to the Caribbean fruit fly Anastrepha suspensa, a pest which can also affect citrus (Langeland and Burks, 1998). However, the economic costs of loss of pasture and costs of control must be weighed against the economic benefits accrued from the sale of fruits and processed products as commercial crops.

Environmental Impact

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This species covers large areas of the Galapagos Islands where it outcompetes native forest species (Cronk and Fuller, 1995). Similarly it is an invader of Acacia forest on Hawaii (Cronk and Fuller, 1995). Henderson (2001) classifies this species as a habitat transformer. Some authors, e.g. Smith (1998), believe it may have allelopathic effects on other plants. It is well known for forming dense thickets that can suppress the growth of native species.

Social Impact

Top of page The social impact may be considered as only positive, due to the financial and nutritional benefits from fruit production, processing and consumption.

Risk and Impact Factors

Top of page Invasiveness

• Proved invasive outside its native range
• Highly adaptable to different environments
• Tolerates, or benefits from, cultivation, browsing pressure, mutilation, fire etc
• Highly mobile locally
• Has high reproductive potential
• Has propagules that can remain viable for more than one year

Impact outcomes

• Negatively impacts agriculture
• Reduced native biodiversity

Impact mechanisms

• Competition - monopolizing resources
• Pest and disease transmission

Likelihood of entry/control

• Highly likely to be transported internationally deliberately
• Difficult/costly to control

Uses

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P. guajava is an ideal home garden fruit tree due to its hardiness, high yield, long supply season and high nutritive value. It is grown in orchards or incorporated into agroforestry systems in India, and is widely planted (or has spread) in Africa. Details of fruit production are given by Verheij and Coronel (1991). The potential for developing guava for a larger and wider commercial market appears to be limited, mainly by its short shelf life and its susceptibility to fruit flies. However, opportunities for expanding the processed fruit market appear to be good, in South-East Asia and in other regions. The fruit is usually eaten raw, both green and ripe (when it becomes fragrant). It is also stewed and used in shortcakes and pies. After removing the seeds, the pulp is made into preserves, jam, jelly, juice and nectar. Well-made guava jelly is deep wine-coloured, clear, of very firm consistency, and retains something of the pungent musky flavour of the fresh fruit. Guava paste (or guava cheese as it is known in the West Indies) is made by evaporating the pulp with sugar; it is eaten as a sweetmeat. The fruit, peeled, halved and cooked in light syrup, is canned and the juice and nectar are also preserved in this way. Guava powder is a good source of vitamin C and pectin. In some Asian countries the leaves are used in cooking, and medicinally against diarrhoea; they can also be used for dyeing and tanning. The wood is moderately strong and durable indoors; it is used for handles and in carpentry and turnery (Verheij and Coronel, 1991), and also for building timbers, woodware and carvings. The flowers provide nectar for bees and contribute to honey production.

Uses List

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Environmental

• Agroforestry

Human food and beverage

• Beverage base
• Fruits
• Spices and culinary herbs

Materials

• Carved material
• Dye/tanning
• Wood/timber

Medicinal, pharmaceutical

• Source of medicine/pharmaceutical
• Traditional/folklore

Wood Products

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Sawn or hewn building timbers

• Carpentry/joinery (exterior/interior)
• For light construction

Woodware

• Industrial and domestic woodware
• Tool handles
• Turnery

Prevention and Control

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P. guajava is able to survive some fires through regenerating vegetatively from suckers (Smith, 1998). Such vegetative reproduction from suckers is common and impedes mechanical methods of control (Cronk and Fuller, 1995). Providing all traces of the roots are removed, seedlings and young plants may be removed by pulling or digging (Weber, 2003). Cronk and Fuller (1995) report that the waxy cuticle of leaves offers some protection to the plant, reducing the effectiveness of herbicide application. If trees are felled the stumps should be treated with a herbicide to prevent regeneration through suckering (Weber, 2003). Biological control is problematic for this species because there are direct conflicts of interest with fruit growers (Smith, 1998), and none has been implemented.

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01/03/13 Updated by:

Julissa Rojas-Sandoval, Department of Botany-Smithsonian NMNH, Washington DC, USA

Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez, Department of Botany-Smithsonian NMNH, Washington DC, USA

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