Guavaberry (Myrciaria floribunda) is a tropical tree in the Myrtle family, grown for its tangy fruit used in jams, drinks and liqueurs; it is a slow-growing tree that can reach 12 to 20 metres in the wild. Grow it in a warm, frost-free climate in well-drained soil with regular moisture.
Family
Myrtaceae (Myrtle family)
Grows as
Tree
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water regularly while young and during dry spells, allowing the top of the soil to dry slightly between waterings.
Soil
Well-drained, fertile loam or sandy loam.
Temperature
20–32 °C; protect below 10 °C.
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Not known to be toxic
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
S. Mexico to Trop. America
Climate
wet tropical
About
Myrciaria floribunda, commonly known as cambuizeiro, guavaberry or rumberry, is a species of plant in the family Myrtaceae. It can be found across South and Central America and the West Indies in dry or moist coastal woodlands, up to 300 metres above sea level. The guavaberry, which should not be confused with the guava, is a close relative of camu camu.
Where it grows
Guavaberry trees can be found growing wild in Central America, South America, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and many Caribbean islands. The guavaberry has also been introduced to Florida, Hawaii, Bermuda, Philippines, and Tanzania.
Uses
Guavaberry is used to make jams and drinks. Guavaberry liqueur, which is made from rum, is a common Christmas drink on many of the islands, particularly in Sint Maarten and the Virgin Islands. The colonists from Denmark and Holland found it could flavor rum by infusion similar to infused schnapps. In the Dominican Republic it is associated with the eastern town of San Pedro de Macorís which has a large population of Eastern Caribbean descent.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Myrciaria floribunda by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.