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