Guava
- "Psidiuzm" redirects here. For the winner of the 1961 Epsom Derby, see Psidium (horse).
| Guava | ||||||||||||||||
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 Apple Guava (Psidium guajava)
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About 100, see text. |
Guava (from Arawak via Spanish guayaba), is a genus of about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, native to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and northern South America. In Hindi they are called amrood . The Bengali name peyara (পেয়ারা) and the Tagalog name bayaba are probably local renditions of guayaba.
They are typical Myrtoideae, with tough dark leaves that are opposite, simple, elliptic to ovate and 5-15 cm long. The flowers are white, with five petals and numerous stamens. The fruit are juicy.
In several tropical regions, including Hawaiʻi, some species (namely Cattley Guava, P. littorale) have become invasive weed shrubs. On the other hand, several species have become very rare and at least one (Jamaican Guava, P. dumetorum), is already extinct.
The genera Accara and Feijoa (= Acca, Pineapple Guava) were formerly included herein too.
Cultivation
Guavas are cultivated in many tropical and subtropical countries for their edible fruit. Several species are grown commercially; Apple Guava (P. guajava) and its cultivars are those most commonly traded internationally.
Mature trees of most species are fairly cold-hardy and can survive as low as 5°C for short periods of time, but younger plants will not survive. They are known to survive in Northern Pakistan where they can get down to 5°C or lower during the night. Guavas are also of interest to home growers in temperate areas, being one of the very few tropical fruits that can be grown to fruiting size in pots indoors.
Uses
A guava fruit is like a watermelon. The fruit is edible, round to pear-shaped, from 3-10 cm in diameter (up to 12 cm in some selected cultivars). It has a thin delicate rind, pale green to yellow at maturity in some species, pink to red in others, a creamy white or orange-salmon flesh with many small hard seeds, and a strong, characteristic aroma that is hard to describe but generally reminiscent of refreshing fruit like apples, passionfruit or strawberries, with an inoffensive acidity and a fragrance reminiscent of rose petals. Guavas are often considered "superfruits", being extremely rich in vitamins A, B, and C. A single guava fruit contains more vitamin C than a typical citrus fruit; the rind alone contains over five times more vitamin C than an orange. It also contains high amounts of calcium – which is unusual in a fruit.
The whole fruit is edible, from seeds to rind, but many people choose to cut out the middle of the guava which contains the hard seeds, since the seeds are difficult to separate from the surrounding pulp. The pulp is sweetest and most delicious in the center though, with the outer layer being sourer with a gritty texture like young pears, while the rind is slightly bitter and rather sour in taste but richest in vitamins; it is usually left over but sometimes eaten too.
The fruit is also often prepared in a variety of ways as a dessert. In Asia, fresh raw guava is often dipped in preserved prune powder or salt. Boiled guava is also extensively used to make candies, preserves, jellies, jams, marmalades (goiabada), and juices. In Asia, a tea is made from guava fruits and leaves. In Egypt and South Africa, guava juice is popular. Red guavas can be used as the base of salted products such as sauces, constituting a substitute for tomatoes, especially for those sensitive to the latter's acidity.
Guava leaves are used for medicinal purposes, as a remedy for diarrhea[1], and for their supposed antimicrobial properties. The same anti-diarrheal substances which are useful in folk medicine may also cause constipation in the case of consumption of large amounts of guava fruits. In recent studies[citation needed], guavas were found to have blood sugar-lowering properties. While testing is not fully conclusive, results have been promising as a natural means to help diabetics keep down blood sugar levels
Guava wood is used for meat smoking in Hawaiʻi and is being used at barbecue competitions across the USA. In Cuba the leaves are also used in barbecues, providing a nice smoked flavor and scent to the meat.
Psidium species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera, mainly moths like the Ello Sphinx (Erinnyis ello), Eupseudosoma aberrans, Snowy Eupseudosoma (E. involutum)and Hypercompe icasia. Mites like Pronematus pruni and Tydeus munsteri are known to parasitize Apple Guava (P. guabaya) and perhaps other species. The bacterium Erwinia psidii causes rot diseases of the Apple Guava.
The fruit are also relished by many mammals and birds. The spread of introduced guavas owes much to this fact, as animals will eat the fruit and shed the seeds again in their feces unharmed.
Selected species
- Psidium amplexicaule
- Psidium araao Raddi
- Psidium araca Raddi
- Psidium australe Cambess.
- Psidium cinereum
- Psidium dumetorum – Jamaican Guava, Jamaican Psidium (extinct: late 1970s)
- Psidium firmum O.Berg
- Psidium friedrichsthalium – Costa Rica Guava, Cas Guava
- Psidium galapageium – Galápagos Guava
- Psidium guajava – Apple Guava, Common Guava
- Psidium guineense Sw. – Guinea Guava
- Psidium harrisianum
- Psidium havanense
- Psidium incanescens Mart.
- Psidium littorale (= P. cattleianum) – Cattley Guava, Peruvian Guava, "arazá" (Colombia), "Chinese Guava" (as invasive species)
- Psidium littorale var. cattleianum – Strawberry Guava
- Psidium littorale var. littorale – Lemon Guava
- Psidium montanum – Mountain Guava
- Psidium pedicellatum
- Psidium robustum O.Berg
- Psidium rostratum
- Psidium sartorianum – Sartre Guava, "arrayán", guyabita del Peru (Panama, Costa Rica)
- Psidium sintenisii – hoja menuda
- Psidium socorrense
- Psidium spathulatum Mattos
'Thai Maroon' guavas
Green guavas
Ripe guavas
Indonesian guavas
See also
- Leslie R. Landrum
Footnotes
- ↑ Kaljee et al. (2004)
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Kaljee, Linda M.; Thiem, Vu Dinh; von Seidlein, Lorenz; Genberg, Becky L.; Canh, Do Gia; Tho, Le Huu; Minh, Truong Tan; Thoa, Le Thi Kim; Clemens, John D. & Trach, Dang Duc (2004): Healthcare Use for Diarrhoea and Dysentery in Actual and Hypothetical Cases, Nha Trang, Viet Nam. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition 22(2): 139-149. PDF fulltext
External links
- Fruits of Warm Climates: Guava
- California Rare Fruit Growers: Tropical Guava Fruit Facts
- Health Benefits of Guava Fruit
- Invasive Species Remedy
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