Common guava(Psidium guajava), also known aspear tree , is a plant native to the Caribbean and Central America. Tropicalguava fruitscan be eaten raw and in preserves. In our climateguavacan only be grown in a pot in warm rooms. Find out more about theproperties of guava , and also seehow to eat guava fruitsto get the best out of their benefits and how to grow from seeds andcultivation guava in a pot
Guava - fruit
Fig. pixabay.com
Guava - what is it?
Guava or pear tree(Psidium) is a genus of tropical plants with about 100 species found in the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America. The most common types of cultivation are:
- guava(Psidium guajava), also known as guava or pear tree,
- strawberry guava(Psidium cattleianum), also sometimes referred to as katleja.
The guava fruit is also used to describe the guava fruit itself , which looks a bit like an apple or pear and is edible.
What does guava look like?
Guava in the wildcan take the form of a shrub or tree 4 to 8 meters high.However, grown in a pot, it will be much smaller.The trunk and branches of the guavaare covered with the characteristic brown bark. As it exfoliates, this bark reveals deeper, dull green layers.
The guava leaves are green , slightly bent, with clearly visible veins. They remain on the plant all year round. Thanks to this, guava will always be a great decoration for your home. Guava leaves are also a herbal material.
The guava flowers are white and give off a pleasant smell , which is an added value of this plant. They grow singly in the leaf axils. The guava can bloom several times a year. If you grow guava in a pot from sowing seeds, you can count on the first flowers from the 3rd or 4th year of cultivation.
Common guava - flowers
Fig. pixabay.com
The most famous plant, however, is its fruits.Common guava fruits are round or pear-shapedand can vary from 3 to 10 cm in length. As they mature, they are first green, then yellowish, and finally red discoloration appears on them.
Guava fruit fleshcan be white, yellow or pink. Gives off a characteristic musky scent. The fruit contains numerous, small and edible guava seeds.
Compared to common guava fruits,strawberry guava fruits are redder , have a sweet and sour taste and a strawberry flavor.
Cut guava fruit
Fig. pixabay.com
Guava - Properties
Guava fruits are considered very tastyand he althy. The guava fruit contains numerous minerals, vitamins and antioxidant compounds.
About 80% guava fruit is made up of water , and 100 g of this fruit provides about 68 kcal. The average sizeguava fruit weighs approximately 175g , thus providing approximately 119 kcal. The fruit, therefore, cannot be considered low in calories. You also need to watch out for the highguavaglycemic index of 75.Although these fruits are he althy, they are not always suitable for people who have problems with overweight or blood sugar levels.
100 g of guava fruit provides2.5 g of protein, only 0.9 g of fat, 14.3 g of carbohydrates and 5.4 g of dietary fiber, which regulates the digestive tract and stimulates digestion . Just one guava fruit covers 12% of a human's daily fiber requirement.
Guava owes itshe alth properties to, among others. high content of vitamin C100g of guava fruit contains as much as 228 mg of vitamin C. This is much more than, for example, in popular oranges or lemons.Guava fruits are also a rich source of vitamin A , which affects the he alth of our eyes and the quality of our vision. Both of these vitamins are also valued antioxidants that counteract the aging of the body, strengthen immunity and have anti-cancer properties.
Guava fruits also containvitamins B3 and B6 and minerals: potassium, selenium, iron and phosphorus.
Guava leaves also show he alth benefits.They can be used to prepare a decoction recommended for diarrhea and food poisoning. Guava leaves infusion can be used to rinse the mouth to reduce toothache or throat inflammation. For the same purpose, the leaves can also be simply chewed. Guava leaves can also be used to prepare a hair rinse that strengthens the hair and prevents hair loss, as well as a preparation for washing the skin with acne. That is whyguava is sometimes added to various cosmetics
Strawberry guava cocktail
Fig. depositphotos.com
How to eat guava?
The flesh of the guava fruit and the seeds are edible.However, the peel of the fruit should not be eaten. The guava has a distinctive sweet and sour taste described as a combination of pear, fig and quince flavors. You can eat the guava fruits fresh for breakfast, squeeze nutritious juice out of them, or make the basis of a milkshake.
It is also extremely important to buy aproperly ripe guava fruit of good qualityWhen choosing a fruit, we look at its appearance and smell. Ripe and juicy guava fruits give off an intense aroma, and their skin can be pressed slightly. When they are overripe, they become unpleasantly soft and too juicy, while unripe ones are firm, do not give off any smell, and are simply bland in taste. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that there are no stains or other damage on the skin.
Toeat fresh guava fruit , cut it in half lengthwise and then hollow the flesh with a spoon. Some people also recommend peeling the guava and cutting it into quarters, just like apples or pears. Although the guava seeds are edible, they are quite hard and when consuming the fruit fresh, I recommend choosing them before eating.
Guava juice squeezed
Fig. depositphotos.com
Guava fruit can be used as an ingredient in salads , compotes, desserts, juices, cocktails and drinks. Guava pulp mixed with rum, lime juice and orange is a delicious homemade granita.
Guava fruit, cut in half, can also be fried in butter, baked or grilled. Remember, however, thatlose some of their valuable he alth properties after heat treatment
Due to the high content of pectins,guava fruits are perfect for preserves - jellies, preserves, jams. Delicious guava jam is a popular dish in Cuba, while in India guava cheese is prepared, the ingredients of which are: steamed and dried guava fruit pulp, sugar, butter and citric acid.
Sliced guava fruit
Fig. pixabay.com
Common guava - seed breeding
For such a magnificent tropical specimen, theguava is an easy-to-growplant with low requirements.Growing guava at home can therefore be a lot of fun.
Guava seeds can be obtained from the fruit yourselfIf you can buy ripe fruit, try to pick out the seeds with a spoon. Then we rinse them of the remains of the pulp on a fine-mesh strainer and dry them on a cloth napkin. Seeds for sowing can also be ordered online, but then remember to soak them in lukewarm water for 24 hours before sowing.
A drainage layer should be placed at the bottom of the pot where the guava seeds will be sown. They can be pebbles or expanded clay. Drainage will ensure good drainage of excess water from the pot.
The pot is then filled with good soil for sowing seeds. It cannot be ordinary garden soil because it has the wrong composition and fungal diseases can be transferred with it. Therefore, it is necessary to use a special soil for sowing seeds. A mixture for sowing exotic plant seeds will be the best, containing peat and sand mixed in the right proportions and enriched with minerals.
Inside the guava fruit we find seeds
Fig. pixabay.com
Guava seeds need a lot of heat and moisture to germinate.Under these conditions, they will germinate within 2 to 6 weeks. After sprouting, they will need plenty of sun, which can be provided for them on a sunny windowsill. When the young plants reach a height of 10 cm, they need to be planted into larger pots, already filled with ordinary soil for potted plants. The plants should be watered regularly and abundantly, but remember that the soil should dry out slightly between each watering.
Guava - growing in a pot
Growing guava in a potusually succeeds because the plant does not have high requirements. The guava pots should be filled with plain all-purpose soil or soil for potted flowers. In its natural environment, pear trees tolerate different types of soil and a fairly wide range of soil pH, so the choice of a special soil is not of great importance in its cultivation.
Guava grown in pots will grow well at normal room temperatureIn winter, the temperature of the cultivation should not fall below 15 ° C. Plants should be watered so that the soil in the pot is moderately moist, and from spring to autumn fertilize with pot plant fertilizer. The plant is quite good at dealing with dry air, so additional moistening or spraying its leaves should not be necessary.
When the guava grows 1 meter tall , trim the top of the plant. This allows the guava to branch out beautifully. You will be able to admire the first flowers and fruits after 3 or 4 years of guava cultivation.
What does guava grown in a pot look likeyou will see in the video: -)
