CSIR-NEERI Biodiversity Portal

AMROOD

Psidium guajava

Botanical name	: Psidium guajava
Synonym	: Common guava
Vernacular name	: Jam/ Aamrudh
Family	: Myrtaceae
About the Tree	: It is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Caribbean, Central America and South America. The trees are tall with profuse branching and broad crown. It can withstand drought conditions.
Height	: 1-6m
Bark	: Smooth, thin, copper-colored bark that flakes off, showing the greenish layer beneath and also because of the attractive, "bony" aspect of its trunk The wood is resistant to insect and fungal attack.
Leaf	: 2 to 6 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide, It has oppositely arranged oblong or elliptic leaves with sunken parallel veins and minute glandular dots. Aromatic when crushed, and appear dull-green
Flower	: The fragrant white flowers are large, measuring about 4 cm across the 4 or 5 large petals, and bear numerous showy brush like stamens with slender white filaments averaging about 1.2 cm long. The flowers are mostly borne singly at leaf bases.
Fruits	: The fruits are large in size, round in shape, skin smooth and yellowish white. The flesh is white, firm, soft having pleasant flavor. Actual seed counts have ranged from 112 to 535 but some guavas are seedless or nearly so.
Season	: Flowers and fruits year-round. Seeds can remain viable for months, and has been reported for up to a year. Usual germination time is 2 to 3 weeks, but they can take up to 8 weeks. Trees grown from seed produce fruit in 2 to 4 years, with a life expectancy of 30 to 40 year.
Medicinal Properties Peculiar Character	: Leaves or bark of guava as a cure for diarrhea. There are bioactive components in the guava leaf that can fight against pathogens, regulate blood glucose levels, and can even aid in weight loss. : It is easily pollinated by insects; in culture, mainly by the common honey bee.It tolerates high temperatures and drought conditions in North India during summers but it is susceptible to severe frost as it can kill the young plants.