Lemon Guava: The Detailed Guide To Description And Uses

lemon guava tree (1)

This is a guide to lemon guava descriptions and uses.

This is a plant of subtropical countries. It is commonly known as yellow strawberry guava and scientifically called Psidium cattlianum or Psidium littorals.

lemon guava
Lemon guava

Lemon guava is called lemon guava because the fruits and leaves of this plant share many similarities with that of lemon fruits.

The size of lemon guava fruits is almost similar to that of lemon fruits. And leaves of both plants also share the same resemblance.

The pulp (the inner fleshy part of the fruit) of both fruits is also looking like one another with numerous seeds that perforated the pulp.

Other common names of lemon guava include strawberry guava. It has also gotten some names from different countries of the tropics, which include guajaba Iapones in Guatemala, Cattley guava in the United States, and Wait in Hawaii.

Trunk And Root Morphology

lemon guava tree
Lemon guava tree
  • Lemon guava is an evergreen
  • It is a small and woody tree of not more than the 10-15m in height
  • The trunk is normally slender and is not more than 20cm in diameter. However, with proper and regular care, the trunk of lemon guava can exceed this size
  • The bark of the trunk is usually flaky and smooth that is surrounded by a green to brown color
  • Lemon guava has a shallow root system
  • The branches of lemon guava are low spreading from the base of the tree
  • The roots of lemon guava produce suckers

Leaf Morphology

lemon guava leaf
Lemon guava

The leaf of lemon guava is simple and without hair. Unlike, the leaf of tropical guava and other guavas, the lemon guava leaf is glossy just like that of a lemon.

The leaves are arranged in opposite along the stems and are borne on short stalks that are normally 4-10mm long.

The leaf blades are oval in shape with rounded or pointed tips and bases. The leaf margin is entire and usually dull green.

Each of the lemon guava leaves possesses a prominent midrib and 6 to 7 pairs of side veins.

Flower Morphology

lemon guava flower
Guava flower

The flowers of lemon guava are normally borne singly in the leaf axils.

The flowers of lemon guava are usually 25mm across 1-2.5cm stalk. Every flower possesses 4 to 5 green sepals that are 6 to 15mm long and are fused together at the Base.

The white petals are also normally in 4s or 5s that are 10 to 20mm long. The small white stamens are numerous roughly around 200 to 250 stamens.

The stamens are 6 to 1omm long with a 6-12mm long style that topped a stigma.

Fruit Morphology

  • The fruits of lemon guava are round in shape
  • They are mostly 2 to 4 cm in diameter
  • The fruits possess lime color outer skin
  • The fruits are green at the early stage of growth but later turn yellow as they mature or fully ripe
  • The fruits of lemon guava have pulp that is jelly-like in appearance
  • The flesh is perforated with numerous seeds
  • The fruits are with pleasant or fragrant aroma typically similar to that of lemon fruits
  • The taste of lemon guava is also similar to that of lemon fruits

Availability

Lemon guava is mostly available in the summer (usually around late Summer) and throughout the fall.

Nutrition Facts

Lemon guava is a reservoir of flavonoids, terpenoids, carotene, lycopene, water, soluble fibers, and amino acids.

Habitat And Invasive Range

Lemon guava is a native plant of coastal regions of eastern Brazil and in a few areas outside Brazil.

It is one of the common plants of Southern America with a fast-growing habit.

Lemon guava like its close relative requires climatic conditions of the subtropical region. However, it is also found to grow well on some soils in cooler regions such as Bahamas, Bermuda, Western Indies, and Florida.

Recipes Ideas

Lemon guava posses a nice fragrant aroma and taste, which makes it useful in the making of smoothies, juices, jams, lemonades, marinades, desserts, salad dressings, and sources.

It can be blended in apple, pineapple, papaya, and watermelon to make fruit salads.

Health Benefits Of Lemon Guava

As stated earlier under the nutritional value, lemon guava is rich in many phytochemical compounds that are highly required for optimal physiological functions in the body.

Lemon guava like common guava, is employed in the treatment of various heart diseases such as hypertension. It is also used to manage stomach problems.

Lemon guava is a good source of energy that provides immediate healthy calories and fibers when eaten raw or cooked.

Industrially, it is used in the management of juices, lemonade, marinades, and frozen desserts.

Lemon guava is also a common fruit in many recipes such as smoothies, jams, and jellies.

Lemon guava possesses a fragrant aroma and this aroma makes lemon guava a common ingredient to cover the aroma of fish and chicken in some parts of the subtropical and tropical countries.

What Does Lemon Guava Taste Like?

Lemon guava taste lies between the taste of strawberry and passion fruit. The flavor is well balanced and with sweet aroma alongside a subtle sub-acid or slightly sour taste.

How Do You Eat a Strawberry Guava?

The fruit of lemon-like other guavas fruits can be eaten fresh or cooked. The seeds of lemon guava are slightly hard and can injure someone if carelessly chewed.

So, chew lemon guava fruits with extra care. Some people prefer to enjoy the pulp by juicing out the flesh. This helps remove the seeds and leaves you with only the juicy flesh.

Takeaway

This tropical fruit shares characteristics with both guava and lemon.

However, it is more like guava than lemon. Because the stems, bark, trunk, leaf, roots, and flowers are all like that of guava.

The only difference is that while the common guava leaf has hair, the lemon guava leaf is hairless and glossy.

Unlike most guavas, lemon guava fruits are very small in size.

Conclusion

We hope this article helps you in understanding the description and uses of lemon guava. Let us know if you have any questions or problems in the comment section below.

Recommended reading:

>Guava Diseases: Distribution, Symptoms, And Management

>Guava Pests: Symptoms And Management

>Nutrition Facts Of Guava And Health Benefits

>Botany Of Guava Plant

References

Akanda, Md. Khokon & Mehjabin, Sanzia & Uzzaman, Shakib & Parvez, Masud. (2018). A short review of a Nutritional Fruit: Guava. Toxicology Research. 1. 1-8.

“Lemon Guavas”  retrieve on 23/06/202 from here 

Psidium littorale (P. cattleianum lucidum)” retrieved on 23/06/2020 from here