Guava is a tropical fruit. Guavas are round, oval, or pear-shaped and weigh from about 1 ounce (28 grams) to more than 1 pound (450 grams). They have yellow or light green skin and white, yellow, or pink flesh. The fruit has many gritty seeds and is an excellent source of vitamin C and various minerals.
Some guava varieties taste sweet, and others have a sour taste. Sweet varieties may be eaten fresh. They taste best when fully ripe but not soft. Both the flesh and the seeds may be eaten. People often serve sliced sweet guavas with cream for dessert. Most sour guavas are made into jams, jellies, or juices or are used to flavor cakes, pies, or ice cream.
Guavas grow on evergreen trees 5 to 30 feet (1.5 to 9 meters) tall. The trees have shiny smooth bark and drooping branches.
Guavas originated in what are now Colombia and Peru. Today, farmers grow guavas in India, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, Brazil, and other tropical countries. In the United States, farmers raise guavas in California, Florida, and Hawaii.
