Common Name: Guavo Real

General Information

Guavo real is a small, evergreen tree with a rounded crown; it can grow 5 - 20 metres tall. The bole can be 10 - 40cm in diameter, it branches from fairly low down[, ].
The fruits are highly valued within the plants native range. It is gathered from the wild and also sometimes cultivated in Tropical America, especially around villages, for the edible pulp contained in the seedpod[, ]. The seedpods are often sold in local markets[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Central America - Costa Rica to Panama.

Habitat

Rainforests at low to medium elevations[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Tolerant of a range of soil conditions, including limestone[].
The tree normally has one distinctive flowering and fruiting season, though it also usually flowers and fruits less freely throughout the rest of the year[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Inside the seedpod there is a sweet, white, juicy pulp that surrounds the black seeds[]. This pulp is esteemed and eaten out of hand. The seedpods can be 30 - 70 cm long, 8 cm wide and 3 cm thick, usually containing only a scant pulp[, ].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is often used as a canopy tree in agroforestry planting schemes, providing shade, adding nitrogen to the soil and also yielding an edible fruit[].

Other Uses

The wood of Inga species is generally attractive, but it has a coarse texture, is susceptible to attack by dry-wood termites and is not durable in the soil[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -
Greenwood cuttings.

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