Conditions and Harvest
Cherry Guavas prefer full sun for fruiting but can be grown with some shade. They will grow in poor soils but need good drainage. They are somewhat tolerant of drought conditions but will fruit best with good moisture. Guavas are also cold-tolerant and tolerate salt winds.
Cherry guavas dislike low temperatures and will not tolerate very heavy frost but are hardier to cold than the common guava.
The fruit ripens in winter and is around 2.5 – 4 cm in diameter (the size of a small plum), deep wine-red, with a very thin skin. The flesh is juicy and believed to have the finest flavour of any guava. They can be picked when ripe or left to fall on the ground like their relative the feijoa.
The fruit can be eaten raw and is high in Vitamin C. It is also used for sauces, jellies, drinks and jams.
Food Forest Information
Cherry Guavas are exceptionally rich in Vitamin C and are a good source of niacin, potassium and dietary fibre.
Same family as feijoas and ripen slightly after in winter. Being high in vitamin C they are a great addition to the diet at that time of year when winter illnesses are doing the rounds.
In our food forest we use them in the medium to high strata where they have some protection from the hot summer sun. For best fruiting they can be located under deciduous trees where they will have better sunlight during the autumn and winter months when fruit is ripening.
The plants are also useful as fruiting a hedge, poultry forage and windbreak.
