Guava / Perakka (VNR, Layer) Fruit Plant

Strawberry Guava (Psidium cattleianum) is a tropical fruit tree producing pear-shaped fruits with green rind and pinkish or white flesh containing small seeds. The fruit is typically 4 to 12 cm long and may be round or oval depending on the variety. The outer skin can be rough with a slightly bitter taste or soft and sweet. It is usually green when immature and turns yellow, maroon, or green when ripe. The fruit has a strong, characteristic fragrance, and the pulp ranges from sweet to sour with variable seed number and hardness.

The Strawberry Guava is an attractive, drought-tolerant tree that produces abundant fruit throughout the year. When ripe, the fruit turns maroon to dark red. Fruit size ranges from very small (dime-sized) to about half the size of a golf ball. The flesh is yellowish-white with red-pink streaks and contains several hard yellow seeds. The skin is thin and can bruise easily when ripe.

The plant is a medium-sized tree or large bush with a moderate growth rate. It has multiple almond-shaped leaves and dense evergreen foliage, making it suitable as a natural screen as well as an ornamental tree. Flowers are small, white, and not very prominent.

Strawberry Guava grows best in full sun to partial shade but cannot tolerate excessive heat. It is frost-sensitive, and young plants may die in cold conditions, while mature trees may shed leaves in winter and regrow in spring. The tree prefers regular deep watering, allowing soil to dry slightly between irrigations, and should be watered at the base to avoid fungal diseases. It requires well-drained soil and is sensitive to waterlogging. Proper fertilization, pruning, and pest management are important for healthy growth and good fruit production.

Fruit matures in 2–4 months after flowering and changes color and softness when ripe. It can also ripen after harvest if picked slightly early and stored at room temperature. The tree benefits from pruning to encourage branching and improved fruit yield, along with balanced fertilization containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

Strawberry guava is prone to pests and diseases like other fruit trees, so proper care including watering, fertilizing, pruning, and cleanliness is essential for healthy plantation.