🌿 Lemon Cattley Guava (Psidium cattleianum) – Bright Citrus Flavor, Built for Real Growers 🍋🌳

A Tropical Fruit Tree That Brings the Zing

If you’re looking for something different—something that pops—Lemon Cattley Guava delivers a flavor profile you won’t find in stores. This compact, highly productive fruit tree blends sweet guava richness with a citrusy, lemon-like brightness, making it one of the most versatile fruits you can grow at home.

👉 It’s bold, it’s productive, and when managed intentionally—it becomes one of the most rewarding plants in your system.

🌿 Quick Facts Guide

Category	Details
Botanical Name	Psidium cattleianum (yellow form)
Common Names	Lemon Guava, Yellow Strawberry Guava
Plant Type	Evergreen fruit tree / shrub
Size at Sale	4” container
Estimated Age	~4–8 months
Mature Height	10–15 ft unpruned / 6–10 ft pruned
Mature Width	6–12 ft
USDA Zones	9–11
Sun Requirements	Full sun to partial shade
Cold Hardiness	~28–30°F (can tolerate brief dips into low 20s once established)
Growth Habit	Dense, bushy, highly branchable
Spacing	8–12 ft (tree) / 4–6 ft (hedge)

🍋 Fruit Profile – Citrus Meets Tropical

• Flavor: Sweet-tart with lemony brightness + guava depth
• Texture: Juicy pulp with small edible seeds
• Skin: Thin, smooth, yellow when ripe
• Fruit Size: ~1–1.5 inches

🍈 Fruiting Habits

• Begins fruiting in 2–4 years
• Produces heavy seasonal crops
• Often fruits multiple times in warm climates

Harvest Windows:

• Florida: Late summer → fall
• Other regions: Summer → early winter

👉 Maximize fruiting with:

• Full sun ☀️
• Consistent watering 💧
• Pollinator activity 🐝

🍹 The GreenDreams Method: Lemon Guava Fresh Juice (Bright, Clean & Seed-Free)

This is where Lemon Guava shines.

👉 Think: tropical lemonade meets guava nectar 🍋🌿

🌿 Why This Works

• Blends easily
• Aromatics intensify
• Seeds strain cleanly

👉 Result: smooth, citrus-forward juice without grit

🍋 Base Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1–2 cups fruit 🍋
• 2–3 cups water 💧
• Sweetener (honey, simple syrup, agave, sugar)
• Optional: lime, ginger, or mint

Steps:

1. Blend fruit + water
2. Strain thoroughly
3. Sweeten to taste
4. Chill and serve

👉 Refreshing, clean, and extremely versatile

💡 Pro Tips

• Slightly underripe fruit = better acidity
• Add herbs for complexity 🌿
• Use for cocktails, mocktails, or hydration drinks 🍹
• Batch easily for events or markets

🍨 Beyond Juice

• Guava lemonade
• Tropical marinades (great for fish & chicken)
• Syrups & dessert reductions
• Fermented beverages

👉 This fruit crosses over into both sweet and savory applications

🌱 Why Grow Lemon Cattley Guava?

• 🍋 Unique citrus-tropical flavor
• 🌱 Thrives in poor soils (including limestone)
• 🌳 Compact, manageable size
• 🌿 Evergreen ornamental value
• 🐝 Supports pollinators
• 🍈 Reliable, heavy production

🌿 Growth Habit & Seasonal Behavior (Florida Focus)

• Evergreen in subtropical climates
• Flushes growth in spring & summer 🌱
• Flowers late spring–summer 🌸
• Fruits summer–fall 🍈

🍃 Seasonal Behavior

• May drop leaves under stress or cold
• Quickly rebounds in warm weather
• Not deciduous, but can thin seasonally

🌳 Landscape & Design Use

• Edible hedge or privacy screen
• Mid-layer food forest species
• Accent fruit tree
• Container-friendly patio plant

👉 Dense growth = clean structure + functional design

🪴 Container & Small Space Growing

• Thrives in containers
• Maintain 4–8 ft with pruning
• Use well-draining soil mix:
  • Pine bark
  • Compost
  • Perlite or sand

🌿 How to Plant Lemon Cattley Guava (GreenDreams Method)

⚠️ Keep plant in original container until new growth appears after transport

Planting Instructions

• Dig hole slightly wider than container
• Plant at same depth (high & tight method)
• Backfill firmly with native soil + compost
• Top dress with biochar, minerals, and mulch

🎥 Watch our method: https://youtu.be/RRQFY30qdA8?si=rRIcsbLlVAVYotfI

💧 Watering, Fertilizing & Pruning

Watering

• Container: daily as needed
• In-ground:
  • Establishment → frequent watering
  • Mature → 1–2 deep waterings weekly

Fertilization

• Organic feeding 2–3x per year
• Compost + mulch recommended 🌾

Pruning

• Prune after fruiting
• Maintain airflow
• Easily shaped into hedge or tree form

🔁 Transplanting & Pot Progression

• 4” → 1 gallon → 3 gallon → 7 gallon
• Transplant once roots fill container

🪴 Soil Recommendation

• 40% pine bark
• 30% compost
• 30% aeration (perlite/sand)

🌿 Companion Plant Guild

• Nitrogen fixers: Pigeon Pea
• Pollinators: Mexican Sunflower 🌻
• Biomass: Lemongrass
• Groundcover: Sweet Potato

👉 Build a resilient edible ecosystem

⚠️ Invasiveness Considerations (South Florida & Similar Climates)

Lemon Cattley Guava shares traits with its red counterpart and can naturalize in tropical environments if unmanaged.

👉 In a maintained landscape, this has not been an issue in our experience—but awareness matters.

🌿 Responsible Growing Practices

• Harvest fruit consistently 🍋
• Prevent fruit from accumulating
• Remove volunteer seedlings 🌱
• Avoid planting near unmanaged wild areas

👉 With simple management, this remains a high-value, controlled producer

🔍 Troubleshooting Guide

⚠️ Issue	🧠 Cause	🌿 Solution
Yellow leaves	Overwatering	Improve drainage
Leaf curl	Drought stress	Deep watering
Fruit drop	Stress	Stabilize watering
Pest damage	Insects	Neem + beneficial insects
Cold damage	Frost	Protect plant

🌟 Is This Plant Right for You?

✅ Ideal For:

• Florida & subtropical growers
• Culinary-focused gardeners
• Small-space growers
• Food forest systems

❌ Not Ideal For:

• Cold climates without protection
• High-salt coastal exposure
• Growers unwilling to manage fruit drop

❓ FAQ

How long to fruit?

2–4 years

Self-fertile?

Yes

Container friendly?

Very

Difference from Strawberry Guava?

More citrus-forward, less sweet 🍋

🚚 Shipping Details (4” Plants)

• Best for Florida, Southeast & Texas
• Ships via UPS Ground (Mondays)
• Northern/Western buyers assume risk

⚠️ Extreme weather during transit not guaranteed

🌿 Allow 30 days before transplanting

🏡 Local Pickup Available

GreenDreams Nursery & Farm

🌾 18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610

🕘 Tues–Fri 9–5 | 🌞 Sat 8–3

🌿 Visit us for larger sizes & expanded inventory

🌿 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services

• 🌳 Edible landscape design
• 🚜 Installation & project management
• 🚚 Bulk compost, mulch & soil delivery
• 🌾 Regenerative ecosystem solutions

Let us help you build your edible paradise 🌿