Strawberry guava tree - How to grow & care (2024)

How to grow Strawberry guava tree growing and care:

Rich soil, mulch, moist soil

How to care:
Add fertilize at least once, when the plant bear fruits add water, put mulch to keep the soil moist, prune once a year and hard prune every 2 years

What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seed / Cutting / Air layer

Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction?
No, but possible and if the fruits not good recommend to graft, possible also to graft Red strawberry guava on the same tree

Difficulties or problems when growing:
Aggressive, invasive

Planting season:
All year in hardiness zone 11b+, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 10b-11a, in colder climate in spring to summer in hardiness zone 9-10a

How to plant:
Dig hole bigger 50% more than the roots ball, add to the hole, organic matter, dead leaves and hummus put back some soil and mix it, after this put the tree cover lightly but strong enough that won’t fall put support for the tree if needed, if the tree is not stable consider to prune, water it twice in the first day and every day for two weeks.

Pests and diseases:
Aphids, mealy bugs, scale insects, borers, white flies, thrips

Pruning season:
End of the summer and end of the winter, better to prune after the fruits

How to prune:
Cut the tree in a way that it will be easy to cover it and easy to pick up, better to pick up the fruits when fully ripen it will be sweeter

Size of the plant?
1-5 m, 3-15 feet – rarely can grow 10m (30 feet)

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Fast growing, average growing speed in hardiness zone 9-10a

Water requirement:
Average amount of water to big amount of water, the plant like water and grow well with regular water

Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun / Half Shade

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No

Growing is also possible in pots, planter, flowerpot or containers:
Yes, start with small pot 20-30% bigger than the roots ball, every time that switch the container to bigger switch some of the soil to new soil until arrive to the desirable container size, after that every few years better to switch part of the soil and cut some roots, no need to take the plant out just from the side of the container, soil can be used potting soil or mixture of peat soil and perlite, water it regularly and care when put bottom for the pot be aware not to let the water stay there more than one day and do not over water it’s destroy the soil and the roots, it’s not like to grow outdoor overwater will destroy the soil, need to add hummus few time a year.

Blooming information

Bloom season:
Spring and sometimes can be also in autumn

General information about the flower
White flowers 1.5-3 cm

Thinning the bloom:
Recommend to thinning some of the flowers, because if there is too much fruit the fruits will be small

Pollination is done by:
Bees

Edible fruits

Fruit harvest season:
Summer and sometimes can be also in winter

Fruits pests or diseases:
Fruit fly mediterranean, birds

What can be done with big quantities of Strawberry guava tree fruits?
Eaten raw, jam, juice, cakes

Work requirements on the fruit:
Cover the tree with net for the bird and put something for the fruit fly, collect all the fruit that fall on the ground

How long does it take to bear fruit?
2-3 years

How to grow Strawberry guava tree from seeds

Sowing requirement:
Moist soil, high humidity, well-drained soil, temperature 20-27C (68-80F) and better in sunny location

Saving and care seeds until sowing:
Dry, dark location in room temperature

Sowing season:
Spring to early summer (possible also summer to autumn)

How to plant:
Planting in soil that keep moist, cover the seed lightly

Planting spacing:
Better in separate pots, direct on the place 3*4m (10*13 feet), for transplant 5*5 cm (2*2 inches)

Depth of Sowing:
2cm (1inches)

Conditions for seeds germinate:
Keep the soil and don’t let it dry, rich soil and sunny location

Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water

Germination time:
2-4 weeks, but can take longer

Condition of seedling:
Sunny location, humidity and moist soil

Scientific name:

Psidium cattleianum

Alternative names: Psidium cattleyanum, Cattley guava, Strawberry guava, Cherry guava, Red cattley guava