Has anyone grown a strawberry guava tree/bush? What does the fruit taste like? How many years will it take for it to produce fruit? I purchased one this week. It is only about 5 inches tall. I live in zone 9b. Any advice for growing these? Thanks!
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Hi! I grow it for some years now and it’s really easy to grow. She likes whater but can stand very hot and dry weather. It’s cold hardy too.
I love the taste, refreshing and a bit acid but sweet too. I can’t find much of strawberry, but more of berry taste. Will start to fruit fast.
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I am also in 9b. Been growing these for years. Taste is like a mild guava. I love them. My older plants are in a tough spot with shade and lots of competition, and they grow very slowly but reliably flower and fruit well. A newer plant is in the full sun and is growing a lot faster. So for advice…full sun!
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Yes, mine is on full sun… impossible to get more fruits! 9b too…
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Thank you for the response! I have mine in a 15 gallon pot currently. It will have about 4 hours of sun a day. I hope that is enough. In your experience, does it grow more as a bush or a tree?
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Tree…
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“Strawberry guava” has been interchangeably used for different varieties - mostly refers to Psidium Cattleyanum, but sometimes for Psidium Littorale (called Strawberry lemon guava). I only have the latter but many here grow both varieties. I like the flavor of lemon guava better as it has (relatively) softer seeds, flavor close to tropical guavas and no astringency. Mine is in part shade and gets sweeter with the onset of cooler weather and when I pick them in the mornings. Both varieties grow as a bushes, based on the plants I’ve seen.
It always over sets for me and aggressive thinning does improve the size and flavor (like other fruits)
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I have the one californicus has,because a seller said they taste better than the red skinned variety.Mine started fruiting about 2-3 years and was like your size,Grace.It probably depends on climate.Things will grow faster,where the temps are higher.Four hours of sunlight a day isn’t very much for these.The fruit may not ripen.Where is your location?
Here is a photo of the plant today,kind of a sprawling bush.bb
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A scraggly small shrub for me. I don’t think 4 hrs is enough. My neighbor has one in a large pot and it is doing great…but it is in full sun. Mine are the yellow variety. My Brazilian friend calls these araçá.
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Thanks for the feedback regarding the hours of sun. I am going to try and move it to a sunnier location. The photo was helpful too!
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Is yours in a pot so you can bring it in in the winter?
I think I killed 2 or 3 of these planted in the ground before I gave up. I don’t think I’ve tasted one. They sound great.
Yes,the plant will go into a small greenhouse,probably late October.This was the first season,being outside.Last year,the thing fruited for the first time,while staying inside.I was wondering if the fruit was going to ripen,but most did.They will fall off.It surprised me a little,that they tasted pretty good.bb
Do Strawberry or Lemon Guavas taste similar to Pineapple Guavas / Feijoas? Or, are they noticeably different? I’m growing Pineapple Guava and a few other trees in 10A but I don’t have a ton of room for more trees. I love the taste of tropical guava which I was fortunate enough to eat on a trip to Hawaii. I am wondering if it is worth it to growth both. Thanks!
They are quite different.
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Thanks. Do you happen to know or agree that the flavor profile of the Lemon is preferable to the Strawberry flavor?
Almost all of the plants sold here are seedlings (for both varieties). In my experience with a few trees of these two, I vastly prefer lemon guavas. Strawberry guavas are usually astringent until fully ripe and even then they only taste ok. The term “strawberry” is only related to the color of the fruit. Some make tea with strawberry guavas and mentioned it is great but I never tried that. Lemon guavas, on the other hand taste exactly as their description - guava with a hint of lemon. They take on vanilla flavor right after a really cold night in Oct/Nov.
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OK, I think I will give it a try. Thanks for sharing your experience.