What is Guavaberry?

This is an appealing shrub or slim tree, growing to heights of 33 to 50 feet (10-15 meters).

It features reddish-brown young branches that are soft to the touch, with a flaking bark. The evergreen leaves grow in pairs and vary in shape, often oval, elliptical, or long and narrow, with pointed tips. They measure between 1 to 3 inches (2.5-8 cm) in length and 0.3 to 1 inch (0.8-3 cm) in width, with a glossy, slightly tough surface dotted with tiny oil glands.

The flowers, which bloom in small clusters along the branches, are white and covered in silky hairs, with around 75 noticeable white stamens.

The fruit of the Guavaberry tree is also called Rumberry (Myrciaria floribunda). Round or slightly flattened, averaging 5 to 16 mm in diameter, the wild fruit ranges in color from dark red (almost black) to yellow-orange. It has a strong aroma and a bittersweet, resinous flavor, containing a single round seed.

SOURCES: MORTON F. Julia, Fruits of Warm Climates, J.F. Morton, USA, 1987, pp. 388–390.