🍓 Strawberry Guava - The Complete Guide to Growing and Care
📋 Quick summary - everything you need to know at a glance
Full sun to partial shade
6-8 hours of sun per day
Regular watering
Moist but well-drained soil
Garden / Balcony / Flowerpot
Also suitable as a hedge!
easy
Durable and forgiving wood
Safe to eat!
Edible and delicious fruit
15-35°C
Cold resistant down to -5°C
🌱 Introduction to Strawberry Guava
Naming and identification
- Hebrew name: Guava,
- Scientific name: Psidium cattleianum
- Common Names: Strawberry Guava, Cattley Guava, Cherry Guava
- Family: Myrtaceae
Origin and climate
The strawberry guava is native to the coasts of Brazil and South America. It is a relative of the regular guava but differs in taste, smell, and appearance. The plant is adapted to tropical and subtropical climates and adapts well to Israel.
Why grow strawberry guava?
- 🍓 Delicious fruit: sweet with a little sourness, a taste reminiscent of strawberries!
- 🌿 No guava smell: Doesn't have the strong smell of regular guava
- 💪 Very resistant: tolerates drought, heat and cold
- 🏡 Hedge: Perfect for concealment and fencing
- 🪴 Suitable for pots: also grows well on the balcony
- 💚 Green all year round: an evergreen tree
Special features
- Height: 2-4 meters (can be kept lower)
- Leaves: dark green, shiny, elliptical
- Flowers: white, small and beautiful
- Fruit: round, 2-4 cm, red/yellow
🌤️ Growing conditions - the key to success
☀️ Light
Ideal light type: Full sun - 6-8 hours of direct light per day for maximum yield.
Tolerance: The strawberry guava can also grow in partial shade, but will produce fewer fruits.
Fast growth, high yield, sweeter fruit
Good growth, less fruit, still possible to grow
💡 Tip: The strawberry guava will thrive even in the shade of large trees - it is one of the most forgiving trees!
💧 Irrigation
Guiding principle: The strawberry guava likes moist but well-drained soil. Once established - drought tolerant!
Frequency by season and location:
- 🌞 Summer: 2-3 times a week (more in a pot)
- 🍂 Spring/Fall: Once or twice a week
- ❄️ Winter: Once a week or less
- 🪴 In a pot: more frequently - don't let the soil dry out completely
Yellow leaves, root rot, fungi on the soil
Brown leaves, leaf drop, small fruits
💡 Tip: Consistent watering is especially important during flowering and fruit development - this will affect the size and sweetness of the fruit!
🌡️ Temperature and durability
Ideal range: 15-35°C
Cold resistance: up to -5°C! (more resistant than regular guava)
- Heat: Tolerates extreme heat well with adequate watering
- Cold: Tolerant to light frost, but young plants need protection
- Wind: Tolerates sea winds
🪴 Soil and substrate
The big advantage: the strawberry guava is not picky at all and grows in almost any type of soil!
Suitable soils:
- ✅ Sandy soil
- ✅ Clay/loess soil
- ✅ Calcareous soil
- ✅ Rich organic soil (ideal)
Recommended pH: 5.0-7.0 (acidic to neutral), but also tolerates alkaline soil
For a pot - recommended mixture:
- 50% garden or planting soil
- 30% compost
- 20% perlite or sand (for drainage)
Drainage: Critical! The yellow strawberry guava tolerates brief flooding, but in general, standing water should be avoided.
🌱 Planting
How to plant in the ground:
- Dig a hole 3 times larger than the root ball.
- Mix the soil with compost.
- Plant at the same height as it was in the pot.
- Water abundantly.
- Cover with mulch (wood bark/hay)
- Water regularly in the first few months.
Planting distances:
- Individual trees: 3-4 meters between them
- Hedge: 1-1.5 meters between them
🧪 Fertilization
The strawberry guava benefits from regular fertilization for maximum yield and large, sweet fruits.
When to fertilize?
3 times a year:
- 🌸 Spring: Towards flowering
- 🌞 Summer: During fruit development
- 🍂 Autumn: After the harvest
Which fertilizer is suitable?
- Granular citrus fertilizer: NPK 6-6-6 - Recommended!
- Balanced fertilizer: NPK 10-10-10
- Organic fertilizer: compost, aged cattle manure
- Potassium-rich fertilizer: for sweeter fruits
- Spread the fertilizer around the tree (not on the trunk)
- Water well after fertilizing.
- Mulch helps retain nutrients in the soil.
✂️ Pruning and shaping
Guiding principle: The strawberry guava grows beautifully naturally, but pruning helps maintain a comfortable size and encourage yield.
When to prune?
- Design pruning: in the fall, after the fruiting season
- Maintenance pruning: Year-round as needed
What to prune?
- ✂️ Industries that invade outside borders
- ✂️ Dead or diseased branches
- ✂️ Branches touching the wall/fence
- ✂️ Cut to a comfortable height for harvesting (2-3 meters recommended)
- ✂️ Trimming edges for denser growth (for hedges)
🔄 Plant propagation
You can propagate strawberry guava from seeds or cuttings. Propagation from seeds is easier and usually preserves the characteristics.
🌱 Method 1: Propagation from seeds (recommended!)
- Remove seeds from ripe fruit
- Wash thoroughly to remove all fruit residue.
- Dry the seeds for a day or two.
- Soak in warm water for 24-48 hours (optional - improves germination)
- Plant 0.5-1 cm deep in moist, sterile soil.
- Maintain a temperature of 21-29°C
- Maintain constant humidity
- Wait 4-12 weeks for germination (be patient!)
⏱️ Time to fruit: 2-4 years from sowing
✂️ Method 2: Stem cuttings
More difficult than seeds, but possible:
- Choose a young, healthy branch 15-20 cm long.
- Cut below the node
- Remove lower leaves, leave 2-3 leaves on top
- Dip in rooting hormone
- Plant in moist soil or a mixture of perlite and peat.
- Maintain high humidity (plastic cover)
- Maintain temperature 24-29°C
- Wait 6-8 weeks for roots
💡 Tip: Propagating from seeds is easier and the plants grow stronger!
🐛 Pests and diseases
The strawberry guava is very resistant to pests and diseases, but there are a few enemies you should be aware of.
🪰 Fruit fly
The main enemy!
Signs: Fruit with egg holes, maggots inside, fruit dropping
Prevention and treatment:
- Pheromone traps
- Wrap the tree in netting.
- Pick fruit as soon as it ripens.
- Collect falling fruit from the ground
🐜 Ants
Signs: Ants on the branches and fruits
Treatment:
- Tree glue on the trunk
- Keep branches off the ground.
- Treat aphids (which attract ants)
🐛 Aphids and scales
Signs: Insects on leaves, sticky liquid
Treatment:
- Potassium soap
- Neem oil
- Horticultural oil
🍄 Leaf spots (algae)
Signs: Orange-brown spots on the leaves
Treatment:
- Improve drainage and airflow
- Reduce watering on the leaves
- Copper spraying
🐦 Birds
The problem: They love the fruit!
solution:
- Tree protection net
- Early picking (when the fruit begins to ripen)
- Scarecrows (limited effectiveness)
🍓 Harvesting and uses
Fruit season
Summer-fall (July-November in Israel), depending on the region and conditions.
How do you know if the fruit is ripe?
- Red: Deep purple-burgundy color
- Yellow: Light yellow color
- The fruit is soft to the touch.
- Strong strawberry/fruity scent
- Easily falls from the branch with a light shake
Uses of the fruit
Fresh eating
Straight from the tree!
Jam and jelly
Delicious and special
Juice and smoothie
Refreshing and tropical
Ice cream and sorbet
Perfect dessert
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
No! Despite the name, it is a different species. The taste, smell, and appearance are different. Strawberry guava does not have the strong smell of regular guava, and the fruit is smaller with a strawberry flavor.
From seeds: 2-4 years. From purchased seedlings: 1-2 years. Patience pays off!
Absolutely! Choose a large pot (at least 40 liters), make sure it has good drainage. Prune to maintain size. Will yield less fruit than in the ground but definitely possible.
No! The strawberry guava is self-fertile. A single tree will bear fruit. However, planting two trees may increase yield.
Yes, the mulberry guava can spread aggressively (mainly through seeds spread by birds). Prune regularly and collect fallen fruit to prevent unwanted spread.
Because the fruit is delicious! 🐦 The solution: Wrap the tree with a thin net during the ripening season, or pick fruits a little before they are fully ripe.
Yes! The leaves are edible and used for tea in some cultures. They are rich in antioxidants.
Very! Rich in vitamin C and A, dietary fiber, antioxidants and minerals. Only 50 calories per 100 grams!
💚 Nutritional values and health benefits
Vitamin C
Strengthening the immune system
Vitamin A
Skin and vision health
Dietary fiber
Digestive system health
Antioxidants
Protection against free radicals
Low calorie value: about 50 calories per 100 grams - a healthy and satisfying snack!
🇮🇱 Adaptation to the Israeli climate
The strawberry guava is an excellent fit for Israel! It is hardy, forgiving, and produces delicious fruit in all parts of the country.
☀️ Israeli summer
- Watering: 2-3 times a week
- Heat: Tolerates well, just water!
- Flowering: Spring-Summer
- Fruit: Starting to ripen
❄️ Israeli winter
- Watering: Once a week or according to rainfall
- Cold: Resistant throughout the country
- Protection: Young plants - cover in frost
- Pruning: Recommended time for pruning
📍 Suitable for all regions of the country
- Center and beach: perfect! Ideal conditions
- North: Grows excellently, resistant to cold
- South and Negev: Suitable with sufficient irrigation
- Jerusalem and the mountains: cold-resistant, may yield later
- Willow: Suitable for partial shade with plenty of watering
🛒 Purchase and recommended products
How to choose a healthy seedling?
- ✅ Green and shiny leaves
- ✅ Strong and upright breed
- ✅ No signs of diseases or pests
- ✅ White and healthy roots (if visible)
- ✅ Full seedling, not thinned out
🛍️ Recommended products from Deco Garden
Strawberry guava seedlings
Red and yellow
Citrus fertilizer
NPK 6-6-6
Fruit fly traps
To protect the fruit
Neem oil
Natural pest control
Pruning shears
For design and maintenance
Protective net
From birds and flies
📊 Summary table - all information in one place
| category | Details |
|---|---|
| ☀️ Light | Full sun (6-8 hours). Tolerates partial shade. |
| 💧 Irrigation | Regular, moist, well-drained soil. Drought tolerant once established. |
| 🌡️ Temperature | 15-35°C. Cold resistant down to -5°C! |
| 🪴 Land | Almost any type! Prefers drained and rich |
| 🧪 Fertilization | 3 times a year - spring, summer, fall |
| ✂️ Pruning | In the fall after the fruit. To maintain size and shape |
| 🌱 Multiplication | Seeds (easy!) or cuttings |
| 🍓 Fruit season | Summer-Fall (July-November) |
| 📏 Size | 2-4 meters (can be kept lower) |
| ⏱️ Time to fruit | 2-4 years from seeds, 1-2 from seedlings |
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The guide was written by the Deco Garden team of experts.