Strawberry Guava Tree – Live Tropical Fruit Plant – 4 to 6 Inch Tall – Outdoor

Overview

Cultivate your own delicious and exotic fruit with this strawberry guava tree. This live tropical fruit plant is a fantastic addition to any garden, offering both ornamental beauty and a bountiful harvest of unique, flavorful fruits. Known scientifically as Psidium cattleianum, the strawberry guava is an evergreen tree or shrub prized for its distinctive 1–2 inch wide fruits, which boast a delightful flavor profile combining the sweetness of exotic berries with the tanginess of traditional guava. Imagine harvesting your own fruits, featuring red or deep purple skin and creamy white pulp, right from your backyard. This tropical fruit plant not only provides a source of delightful treats but also adds a vibrant touch of the tropics to your home landscape. It’s a versatile plant that can thrive in various garden setups, bringing a slice of paradise to your outdoor space.

Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting, growing a strawberry guava tree can be a rewarding experience. Its lush, dark green leaves and small, showy white flowers enhance its aesthetic appeal, making it a beautiful focal point in any garden. With proper care, this resilient plant will provide years of enjoyment and fresh, homegrown fruit. It’s an excellent choice for those looking to expand their edible garden with something truly special and easy to manage.

Key Benefits

Growing a strawberry guava tree offers a multitude of advantages, transforming your garden into a productive and visually appealing haven. This remarkable plant provides both culinary delights and aesthetic enhancements, making it a valuable investment for any plant enthusiast.

• Enjoy Fresh, Homegrown Fruit: Harvest your own sweet and tangy strawberry guava plant fruits directly from your garden. These delicious berries are perfect for eating fresh, making jams, jellies, or adding a tropical twist to desserts.
• Exotic Garden Appeal: The attractive dark green foliage and delicate white flowers add a unique, tropical aesthetic to your landscape, creating a vibrant and inviting atmosphere. It’s a perfect conversation starter and a beautiful focal point.
• Relatively Easy to Care For: With the right growing conditions, this guava tree outdoor variety is surprisingly low-maintenance, making it suitable for gardeners of all experience levels. Its resilience helps ensure a successful growing journey.
• Adaptable Growth: While it can reach significant heights, the strawberry guava tree responds well to pruning, allowing you to maintain a manageable size that fits your garden or even a large container.
• Pollinator Friendly: The showy white flowers attract beneficial pollinators like bees, contributing to the health and biodiversity of your garden ecosystem.
• Nutrient-Rich Harvest: The fruits are not only delicious but also packed with vitamins and antioxidants, offering a healthy addition to your diet.
• Year-Round Interest: As an evergreen, the strawberry guava tree provides continuous greenery and visual interest throughout the year, even when not in fruit.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Ensuring your strawberry guava tree thrives requires providing optimal growing conditions and consistent care. These plants are relatively forgiving but respond best to specific environmental factors that encourage robust growth and fruit production. Understanding strawberry guava care is crucial for a healthy and productive plant.

These trees love full sun, so choose a location where they can soak up at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Proper drainage is equally important; avoid areas where water tends to pool, as this can lead to root rot. Amending heavy clay soils with sand and perlite can significantly improve drainage, creating a healthy environment for your tree. The ideal soil pH for a strawberry guava tree is slightly acidic to neutral (5.0 to 7.0). If growing in a container, use a high-quality potting mix designed for fruit trees or tropical plants.

Watering your tropical fruit plant requires a balanced approach. Give the tree a deep soaking, then allow the top two inches of soil to dry out completely before watering again. Overwatering is a common mistake and can lead to root rot, so it’s crucial to let the soil dry slightly between waterings. During hotter seasons or periods of active growth, you may need to water more frequently, but always ensure the soil doesn’t become overly saturated. Potted guavas follow the same watering principles, making them versatile for various garden setups. Regular pruning and fertilizing are key to maintaining a healthy and productive fruit tree. Trim away any low growths near the base to encourage a stronger trunk. Prune crossing or dead branches to promote overall health and air circulation. Fertilize young trees every 1-2 months with a balanced formula, which provides the high levels of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash, and magnesium that guavas love. Established trees only need fertilizing 3-4 times a year. Potted guavas benefit from an organic, granular fertilizer every three months. The ideal temperature range for a strawberry guava tree is between 60-80°F (15-27°C) and it can tolerate brief dips to 25°F (-4°C) once established.

Size & Details

This offering is for a live strawberry guava tree, measuring approximately 4 to 6 inches tall from the base of the plant to the tip of its tallest leaf. It arrives as a young, actively growing plant, ready to be transplanted into your garden or a larger container. The plant is shipped in a nursery pot with established roots, ensuring a smooth transition to its new home. With optimal care, this tropical fruit plant can typically grow to a height of 10-20 feet in its natural habitat, but it can be easily maintained at a smaller, more manageable size through regular pruning, making it adaptable for various garden spaces, including patios or as a potted specimen. The growth rate is moderate, allowing you to enjoy its development over time. Expect to see the first fruits within 2-3 years, depending on growing conditions and specific care.

The fruit typically measures 1-2 inches in diameter, featuring red or deep purple skin and creamy white pulp, offering a delightful sensory experience. This strawberry guava plant is a long-lived species, providing many years of ornamental beauty and delicious harvests. Its compact size when young makes it easy to handle and establish, setting the stage for a thriving fruit-bearing tree.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big will my strawberry guava tree get? A: This fruit tree typically grows to a height of 10-20 feet if left unpruned, but it can be kept much smaller with regular pruning, making it adaptable to different garden sizes and even large containers.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for my tropical fruit plant? A: A well-draining soil is essential for optimal growth. Amend heavy clay soils with sand and perlite to significantly improve drainage and provide a healthy root environment. A slightly acidic to neutral pH is ideal.
• Q: How much sunlight does my strawberry guava tree need? A: Strawberry guava trees need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive and produce abundant fruit, so choose a sunny spot in your garden or on your patio.
• Q: How often should I water my guava tree outdoor? A: Water deeply when the top 2-3 inches of soil are dry to the touch. Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot, ensuring the soil has a chance to dry out between waterings.
• Q: When is the best time to plant my fruit tree? A: The ideal time to plant a strawberry guava tree is in the spring or early summer after the last frost, giving the young plant ample time to establish itself before colder weather.
• Q: Is this strawberry guava plant suitable for growing in a pot? A: Yes, strawberry guava trees can be successfully grown in large pots or containers, especially in colder climates where they can be moved indoors during winter. Ensure the pot has good drainage.
• Q: What is the hardiness zone for this plant? A: The strawberry guava tree is generally hardy in USDA Zones 9-11, tolerating temperatures down to about 25°F (-4°C) once established. In colder zones, it should be grown in containers and protected from frost.
• Q: How long until my tropical fruit plant produces fruit? A: With proper care, your strawberry guava tree can start producing fruit within 2-3 years after planting.
• Q: What kind of fertilizer should I use for strawberry guava care? A: Use a balanced fertilizer with high levels of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash, and magnesium. Young trees benefit from feeding every 1-2 months, while established trees need it 3-4 times a year.
• Q: Are the fruits of the strawberry guava tree edible? A: Yes, the fruits are completely edible and highly prized for their sweet, tangy flavor, often described as a blend of strawberry and passionfruit. They can be eaten fresh or used in various culinary applications.