Photo: Krzysztof Golik / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Guava (Amrood) (Psidium guajava): Tropical superfruit with 4x the Vitamin C of oranges — leaves and bark are equally medicinal.
🔍 Quick Facts
| Common name | Guava (Amrood) |
| Other names | Amrood, Peru (Hindi, Marathi); Koyya (Tamil); Jama (Telugu) |
| Scientific name | Psidium guajava |
| Plant family | Myrtaceae |
| Size | 3–10 m small tree |
| Native region | Central America |
| Climate | Tropical/Sub-tropical |
| Ease of growing | Fast |
| Parts used | Fruit, Leaves, Bark, Seeds |
About Guava
Guava came to India with the Portuguese in the 17th century and is now one of the country's most widely grown fruits. Allahabad Safeda and Lalit are famous varieties. A single guava can contain two to four times the vitamin C of an orange, plus plenty of fibre. Guava leaf tea is a traditional remedy for diarrhoea.
Botanically known as Psidium guajava, it belongs to the Myrtaceae family. It is native to Central America and grows best in a tropical/sub-tropical climate. The parts most often used are the fruit, leaves, bark and seeds.
Uses & Nutrition
Guava is best known for:
- Vitamin C source
- Diarrhoea (leaves)
- Blood sugar
- Dengue (folk remedy)
- Skin care
How to Eat & Cook It
- Eaten fresh with chaat masala or salt.
- Made into jelly, cheese and juice.
- Leaf decoction is used traditionally for diarrhoea and mouth ulcers.
How to Grow Guava
| ☀️ Sunlight | Full sun. |
| 💧 Watering | Moderate; hardy and drought tolerant. |
| 🪴 Soil | Adapts to most soils, including slightly alkaline ones. |
| 🌱 Propagation | Air layering or grafting. |
| 📅 When to plant (India) | Plant July–August; winter crop is the best quality. |
| 🏡 In pots / at home | Thai and dwarf varieties fruit well in a 20-inch container. |
Precautions & Safety
- Seeds may cause constipation if eaten in large amounts.
- Leaf extracts may lower blood sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Further Reading on Guava
Written by the WhyOnPlanet editorial team · Last updated October 2026