Growing Tropical Guavas In Phoenix Arizona

Photo The two trees pictured on the right are tropical guavas. The closer one is a pink and the further one is a white, most likely a Turnbull. They were planted approximately two years before this picture was taken and have tripled in size since planting. Both plants started producing a small amount of fruit immediately but didn't become really productive until they reached a year old. The taste of the fruit improved over time as well. Being located in the North East corner of the yard they receive a fair amount of afternoon sun before being shaded by the house after five in the evening. Being close to the walls also helps to protect them from freezing in the winter. Overview Tropical guavas are one of the easiest to grow of all the tropical fruits. Once established, they do very well in the summer heat. There are hundreds if not thousands of varieties of tropical guavas. Most often people just refer to tropical guavas by the internal color of their fruit, although some select cultivars have been isolated. It is important to distinguish between tropical guavas, cattley guavas, and pineapple guavas (feijoas).

Cattley guavas do not do very well in Phoenix because they struggle in our hot summers and alkaline soil. With a lot of effort a cattley guava can be kept alive but will still most likely end up producing sour fruit. Cattley guavas can be distinguished from tropical guavas because they have smaller thicker shinier leaves and small fruit. They come in two cultivars named Strawberry Guavas and Lemon Guavas. Cattleys are more hardy than tropical guavas so they might actually be a good fit for elevations of 2000 to 4000 feet in Arizona where summers are cooler but winters are not ever colder than 20 degrees. Southern California is an almost ideal climate for them. More information on cattley guavas can be found on Julia Morton's site.

Feijoas (Pineapple Guavas) grow fairly well in the lower desert but are not very productive if they produce anything at all. Like cattleys they are really better suited for a cooler climate. More information on feijoas can be found at Julia Morton's site and on the CRFG site.

Fruit There are many tropical guava varieties but they can generally be categorized as being either white or pink. All guavas have an unusual aromatic floral flavor not found in other fruits. White guava fruit are crunchy and pear like in appearance, texture, and even in flavor. The fruit shown on the left are white guavas. It is difficult to tell when a white guava is ripe. When close to ripe it starts to get some yellow on its skin but it can be in this state for quite some time before it is actually ready to eat.

The best way to tell if a white guava is ripe is to smell the flower end. If it smells sweat then the guava is ready. Sometimes the flower end of the guava will also get soft, but if one waits for this indicator then it is more likely the guava will be overripe.

Pink guava fruit are softer than white, and turn a bright yellow when they are ripe. They have a stronger smell and flavor than the white which makes them great for juice and jam. When ripe a pink guava will fall off the tree. However, it is better to pick them right before they get to the falling point so that they are not overripe. To check if they are ready, cradle them in your palm and tap them with your fingers. If they fall off in your hand, then they are perfect.

Tropical guava fruit quality in the lower desert can be excellent. Guavas in Phoenix flower twice a year, in the spring and fall. The flowers are medium size and white with many stamens and have a mildly sweet scent. The spring flowers become ripe in late summer while the fall flowers become ripe in late spring.

Heat Tolerance and Sun Exposure
Tropical guavas do very well in the summer in Phoenix. In fact, the higher the temperature gets the more rapidly they grow. However, newly planted guavas should be protected from afternoon sun their first summer.

Cold Tolerance Guavas are hardy down to 29 degrees Fahrenheit so it is best to plant them close to houses, walls or other objects that store heat at night. When planted in a good microclimate within the city, there is little reason to be concerned about a guava during the winter. People living near the outskirts of town might want to cover their plants during unusually cold winter nights. Fortunately, if frozen to the ground guavas will usually re-emerge from their roots the next spring. In cool weather, guavas will develop a purple discoloration on their leaves. This is not frost damage and happens every winter without damaging the plant.

Planting
Dig a hole at least twice the size of the rootball. At a minimum, make the hole 2 feet in diameter and 2 feet deep. Work in a 50/50 mix of compost to soil. Be sure to mix the compost and soil as thoroughly as possible. It also is a good idea to finish with the hole an inch or two recessed so that a watering basin is formed.

Watering frequency
Guavas do well on a grass watering schedule.

Watering method
Basin or flood irrigation is recommended because it helps keep the salt in our salty water from accumulating around the roots. Furthermore, deep watering will encourage the plant to develop deeper roots, making the plant tougher when the weather gets hot and dry.

Fertilizing and Growth Rate
Guavas grow rapidly and are therefore heavy feeders. During the growing season, a guava can be fertilized every one to two months using a high nitrogen fertilizer. They should not be fertilized during the cool time of the year when they are growing slowly. Guavas also should not be fertilized when the fruit is close to being ripe, because it will detract from the flavor of the fruit.

Propagation
Guavas are generally true from seed, meaning that the plant from a seed will be identical to its parent. Starting guavas from seeds is somewhat difficult because the young plants tend to get attacked by fungus.

Pests
White guavas have a problem with little flying beetles in the fall. These beetles will start eating the flower end of the guava right before it gets ripe. Sometimes the ruined section of guava can be cut away and the rest is salvageable. Fortunately, the spring crop of guavas is not bothered by them.

Links to more tropical guava information

Julia Morton      California Rare Fruit Growers