[Arid_gardener] Re: Guava Question

[Dick]

Sheri, I have never heard or read any derogatory information about guavas of any variety having toxic properties but like green apples, I suppose one could eat more than the bowels could tolerate.

But. you are wise to not take any risks, Are you absolutely certain your fruit is indeed a guava? Take a sample of the fruit and foliage to your nearest County Cooperative Extension for an identification. Do the same at one or more of your local plant nurseries. If necessary to make a positive ID, photograph the fruit and foliage and send the pictures to your County Master Gardener List and the crfg and ask that question. Don't take any single answer for a positive answer. Your fruit probably is an ordinary Guava but it isn't worth taking a risk to find out for certain.

Any one else have an idea how to certify the safety of this fruit? Please share it if you do.

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer

Bcc: Arid Gardener, AzCRFG
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: rnspringle at aol.com 
  To: info at crfg.org 
  Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2007 4:48 PM
  Subject: re: Guava Question


  Hello,

  I live in the Central Valley in California, near Modesto.  When we moved into our house 7 years ago, there was a small Guava bush in the front yard.  We transplanted it into the back yard the next summer.  We have had pretty blossoms in the spring and last year we had tiny guava, not too many though.  This fall we have had an abundance of warm weather, bright and sunny and in the 70's, still!  Today I went outside and noticed about 30 quavas on the ground.  I picked up one and it was very sweet smelling so my husband cut it in half.  The outside is a green color and kind of resembles a lime.  It had a light creamy color on the inside.  We would like to know if it is safe to eat or if there are Guava trees that produce unsafe fruit to eat (like mushrooms, most are not safe to consume.)  If you could help us out and answer this question then we will begin to look more closely at the fruit and watch for them to ripen so we can enjoy them and share them with our family.

  Thanks for you help on this.  I thought it was a better idea to email instead of visiting a nursery since some people who work there are not as knowledgeable as we would like to think.  Better safe than poisoned, if that is a posibility.

  Thank you,
  Sheri Pringle


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