| The early Spanish explorers of the 1500's found | | | | The fruit is commercially made into puddings, pies, |
| Strawberry Guava, 'Acca sellowiana O.,' growing | | | | juices, and jellies, and is a rich source of Vitamin A |
| as a native tree in America, where they were | | | | and C, as well as many beneficial minerals. The |
| firmly established from Mexico southward to Peru. | | | | guava is grown commercially in Florida and |
| History records that Seminole Indians were | | | | California, and in many southern forests the shrub |
| growing guava trees in Northern Florida in 1816. | | | | has become naturalized and mistaken as a native |
| Strawberry Guava, 'Acca sellowiana O.,' can grow | | | | historical plant |
| into trees 25 feet tall and frequently they are | | | | "Guavaween" is a traditional central Florida event |
| planted by homeowners as a privacy hedge that | | | | and fund raiser that is held every year to |
| is easily trimmed or grown as an untrimmed | | | | celebrate the advent of the guava corresponding |
| windbreak. The guava tree can be trained to | | | | to parades and festivals that are scheduled near |
| single or multiple trunks by pruning and will grow | | | | Halloween at holidays Ybor City, Florida, an |
| into an excellent specimen plant that is covered | | | | outskirt of Tampa, Florida. This "Guavaween" |
| with exotic flowers during late spring. The wood is | | | | event is celebrated during the last of October |
| gray in color, and the grain is very hard and | | | | each year. |
| dense. The leaves are small, distinctly colored flat | | | | There are many kinds of guavas; one tropical |
| green, making the plants easily recognized at a | | | | guava, 'Psidium guajava L.,' is an important crop in |
| distance. | | | | Hawaii, with fruit production exceeding 15 million |
| The guava tree or shrub is slow growing and | | | | pounds per year. These guava fruits are |
| requires the planting of two plants for | | | | technically considered to be berries, and the trees |
| cross-pollination. The tree is cold hardy to 15 | | | | grow in the wild on the island of Kuawai as a |
| degrees Fahrenheit and is salt water tolerant. | | | | native plant. Before harvesting, the plants are |
| Bees and hummingbirds visit the red and yellow | | | | vigorously pruned, fertilized, and irrigated. Fresh |
| flowers, and the pollination visits result in a heavy | | | | vigorous shoots grow in response to the pruning, |
| fruit set. | | | | and the delicious fruit forms within the flowers |
| The guava fruit is classified as a berry by most | | | | that mature on the new wood to form guavas |
| botanists, and it occurs in clusters with individual | | | | and require about seven months to fully develop. |
| berries in sizes just under one inch. Each guava | | | | Most travelers to Florida last century will |
| berry is covered by a rough rind and the pulp | | | | remember the many tourist stops on U.S. |
| inside occurs in colors of white, pink, or red. | | | | Highway #1 and U.S. 41 that have now been |
| The guava tree grows best in partial shade in | | | | transformed into interstate highways I-1 and I-75. |
| acidic soils. The plants are virtually disease free, | | | | Tourist shops such as "Stuckeys" were loaded |
| and the fruit is usually harvested by shaking off | | | | with souvenirs such as pecan logs. One of the |
| the mature guavas when the color change occurs, | | | | most memorable items displayed for sale was |
| then, they are collected onto sheets or tarps. The | | | | guava jelly, jam, paste, or any other conceivable |
| fruit will keep well in a refrigerator up to a week | | | | product that involved the use of the magical fruit |
| and can be peeled and eaten as fresh fruit, as a | | | | of the guava tree. All these little jars of jelly and |
| dessert, or in salads. If the fruit is dipped into | | | | other guava products were visually stunning to |
| diluted lemon juice, the color of the pulp will | | | | the eye, revealing their contents in colors of mint |
| remain bright. | | | | green, red, yellow, and blue. |