Psidium comprises small trees or shrubs characterized by their evergreen, undivided leaves. The flowers typically appear in axillary positions, often individually or in clusters of three, and can give rise to small, edible fruits.

Psidium

Psidium acutangulum

Psidium friedrichsthalianum (F)

Psidium guajava is a perennial shrub or small tree that can reach heights of 6 meters. Its leaves are ovate to oblong, measuring up to 15 centimeters in length, and feature distinct serrations along the edges. The plant produces white flowers, each about 2.5 centimeters in diameter, which appear either individually or in small clusters. These flowers have elongated stamens and can bloom throughout the year on new lateral growth. The fruit, which is edible, varies in shape from rounded to egg- or pear-like, measuring between 2.5 and 10 centimeters long. As they ripen, the fruits transition from green to a yellowish-green hue, with the flesh ranging from white to deep pink or orange-red.

Psidium guajava (F)

Psidium guajava pomiferum

Psidium guajava pyriferum

Psidium guineense

Psidium littorale (F)

Psidium littorale var. littorale (F)

Psidium littorale var. longipes (F) is an evergreen species that can reach heights of approximately 7 meters in its natural environment but typically grows between 2 to 4 meters when cultivated. Its bark is grey to reddish-brown and tends to peel off easily. The branchlets are cylindrical in shape, while the leaves are oval, glossy, and dark green, measuring 4 to 12 cm in length; newly emerged leaves display a bronze-red hue. In spring, small white flowers with a pleasant fragrance appear in the leaf axils, leading to the development of edible fruits that range in color from dark red to purple and are about 2 to 3 cm in diameter.