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trianglejohn

bumper crop of guavas

trianglejohn
12 years ago

I'm one of those northern gardeners that likes to start seeds from unusual fruit found at my local Asian market. Just about everything lives in pots and gets moved under plastic protection for the winter. I have this one pot of white guava that is loaded down with fruit this year. Currently they are about the size of a large navel orange. I have eaten them in the tropics, my favorite being the pastries with white cheese you find in the Caribbean. I can buy guava paste at the local store at a dirt cheap price so I don't see the need to make homemade paste or even jelly/jam. I was wondering what other ways people eat the large guavas. Any favorite recipes?

Comments (16)

  • pepperot
    12 years ago

    Do you have the Vietnamese guava? I eat those fresh off the plant. I also have the Thai white, which are a letdown in the flavor department compared to the former.

    -Tom

  • trianglejohn
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    The store just had them labeled "Guava". They are the ones that are in season now (the store is full of them), bright white on the inside. I ate the original fruit right after I bought it and it didn't have much flavor. I thought I would let this batch of fruit stay on the tree a bit longer and see if that helps.

    I have a couple of the little strawberry guavas and can barely eat them fast enough, this year has been a very good guava year.

  • red_sea_me
    12 years ago

    We have a variety on the West Coast that is named 'Tropic white', it sounds similar to what you have. Green skin, crunchy white flesh with very mild flavor. For me I prefer, Mexican cream and Tropic Pink. Mex. cream has yellow skin, soft white flesh and extremely aromatic, tropic pink has pink flesh and taste very similar to 'sweettart' candy. Mostly I eat them straight off the tree but have made guava nectar, granitas and jelly also.

    My strawberry guavas are coming off the tree now, they are good but more of a fill in til the tropical guavas are ready.

    One of my trees has fruit for the first time this year, either Vietnamese or Ruby supreme, we'll have to see.

    -Ethan

  • nullzero
    12 years ago

    Ethan,

    Which guava would you recommend for productivity and taste? I have a yellow strawberry guava currently, but looking at adding another guava (my girl friend loves them).

    Talk to you soon Ethan.

    -Stephen

  • jhl1654
    12 years ago

    @ (Triangle How long did it take for your Guava plant to bear fruit in the pot? I have a plant that's been in the pot for a yr now

  • trianglejohn
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I think these trees are three years old getting close to four. I imagine I bought the fruit this time of year (since the store is loaded with them now) and it took a couple of months for the seed to germinate. I had a lot of seedlings and ended up planting two together in a large pot. They bloomed a little last summer. This is the first time to produce fruit. The trees are 6-7 feet tall (not including the height of the pot) and about 5 feet wide. The trunks are over an inch thick. I have to prune this guy way back in order to get it to fit into my winter storage hoophouse.

    The Strawberry Guavas are also grown from seed but I think I got fruit off of them after two years - they are much older than the white guava.

    I have a three year old Cherimoya that is starting to branch but so far has not bloomed. A three year old Lychee that was damaged severely by a rat (it ate a lot of tree seedlings last winter before I figured out what was going on) but it keeps on growing so I have hope. One two year old Sapodilla that if it keeps on growing at its current rate will over take the guavas in two years. My pride and joy is a monster big 5 year old Theobroma cacao that I got as a tiny seedling from another gardener that is now close to 8 feet tall and has many branches. In addition to these guys I have many citrus (not seed grown) and normal temperate zone fruit trees in the ground.

    I like to try the seeds from store bought fruit to see if I can keep them alive for a few years before I invest in a grafted plant.

  • red_sea_me
    12 years ago

    N/Z, they both taste different than lemon or strawberry guavas. Personally I like the taste of tropic pink a little better but Mex cream is more vigorous, more aromatic, sweeter and supposedly more cold hardy too. Mine were from seed also and the MC took 3 years to fruit and TP was 4.

    -Ethan

  • sueanne777
    8 years ago

    Just bought my first Mexican Cream Guava tree. Cannot wait to join you all in tasting this delicious healthy fruit. Will keep you informed of its growth.

  • nana_7b
    8 years ago

    sueanne777 may I ask where you bought your MC guava from? I have been looking for this variety.

  • sueanne777
    8 years ago

    Nana, Bought my MC guava tree at Lowe's for $7.98. Once I read how healthy the fruit was wanted it. So far all their fruit trees are doing well. Let me know if you find it.

  • nana_7b
    8 years ago

    Thanks Sueanne. I looked at Lowes near me here in north Texas and did not see any. Come to think of it I have never seen guava trees for sale here probably because they will not survive the winter outside. I have 4 varieties that I grow in containers and bring them into the garage from Nov through Mar. That seems like a good price you got on the guava plant.

  • sueanne777
    8 years ago

    Been buying all my fruit trees in Lowe's . Get them for free for buying my groceries and getting a gift reward to use at Lowe's. My yard has what ever it needs now.

  • greenman62
    8 years ago

    sueanne777
    You are going to like the MC
    i have one about 4yrs old . it gives me lots of creamy fruit every year

    mine looses its leaves every year, but, it bounces back easy in the spring.

    i had a sucker growing next to it, and decided to cut it out below the soi line
    taking some roots with it.
    its been about 18 months, and i already have 1 tiny guava on it.


  • nana_7b
    8 years ago

    greenman, I noticed you may have seedlings of your guava for trade. I have a few red guava seedlings. I have followed you and if you follow me you can send me a message from your profile page.

  • gardenlover1
    8 years ago

    nana_7b,

    I live in San Antonio. If you have a guava seedling to share, please email me from my houzz page. Thanks.

    Gardenlover1.

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