20 May 2005 Page 1 of 2 

Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

FACT SHEET: STRAWBERRY GUAVA

Strawberry Guava 

Psidium cattleianum Sabine 

Myrtle family (Myrtaceae) 

NATIVE RANGE 

Atlantic Coast of Brazil. 

DESCRIPTION 

Strawberry guava, also called purple guava and pineapple guava, is a 

shrub or small tree reaching up to 15 feet in height. It has a smooth 

trunk and dark green, shiny, egg-shaped leaves that are arranged 

oppositely on the stem. The aromatic leaves are 2-4 inches long and 

1-2 inches wide. Strawberry guava flowers are white with numerous 

stamens (pollen-bearing structures) and the edible purple fruits are 

about the size of a golf ball. Some forms of this species have yellow 

fruits. 

ECOLOGICAL THREAT 

Strawberry guava is a very serious, habitat-altering pest in many parks and preserves in Hawaii where it poses a major 

threat to Hawaii's rare endemic flora and fauna. It forms shade-casting thickets with dense mats of surface feeder roots 

that make it difficult for other species to coexist. Characteristics that promote strawberry guava's success as an invader 

include its prolific fruiting and aggressive vegetative growth, its tolerance of shade and heavy leaf litter, and possibly 

through production of toxic chemicals in its leaves that prevent the growth of other plant species. 

DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES 

Strawberry guava occurs on the six largest Hawaiian islands and in subtropical 

Florida. 

HABITAT IN THE UNITED STATES 

Strawberry guava exhibits broad environmental tolerances, occurring in dry to 

moist forests, and in tropical and subtropical climates. It occurs in disturbed 

areas and along roadsides and may invade undisturbed, intact forests. On the 

Hawaiian islands, strawberry guava infests moist, lowland and submontane 

forests, usually dominated by ‘ohi'a trees (Metrosideros polymorpha). In 

Hawaii, this species is often found in sites disturbed by feral pigs. 

BACKGROUND 

Originally introduced to Hawaii in the early nineteenth century for its edible 

fruit, strawberry guava quickly escaped cultivation. It is now widely cultivated 

and naturalized outside its native range and is found in many tropical regions 

of the world. 

BIOLOGY & SPREAD 

Regeneration of strawberry guava is by seed and by root sprouts, which allow 

it to undergo expansive vegetative reproduction. Strawberry guava produces 

an abundance of fruits, the seeds of which are dispersed by birds and feral 

pigs. 

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS 

Because of the huge quantities of seed that are dispersed by feral pigs, 

another exotic invasive species, feral pig management is a practical and 
20 May 2005 Page 2 of 2 

Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

necessary first step in strawberry guava management. Pig control must be followed by manual, mechanical, or chemical 

control measures. These methods have proven successful when tested on a small scale. Reinfestation by strawberry 

guava is low in pig-free, intact forests. 

Biological 

No bioloogical control agents are currently available for management of strawberry guava. 

USE PESTICIDES WISELY: Always read the entire pesticide label carefully, follow all mixing and application instructions and wear all 

recommended personal protective gear and clothing. Contact your state department of agriculture for any additional pesticide use 

requirements, restrictions or recommendations. 

NOTICE: mention of pesticide products on this page does not constitute endorsement of any material.

For more information on strawberry guava management, please contact: 

• Alyssa Zahorcak, ajzeco96 at worldnet.att.net 

• Dick Roberts, Florida Park Service, District 5 Admin, 13798 SE Federal Hwy., Hobe Sound, FL 33455 

OTHER LINKS 

• http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/psidium_cattleianum.htm

AUTHOR 

Nancy Benton, The Nature Conservancy, Arlington,VA 

PHOTOGRAPHS 

Forest & Kim Starr, US Geological Survey, HI 

Gerald D. Carr 

REFERENCES 

Cronk, Q.C.B. and Fuller, J. 1995. Plant Invaders: the Threat to Natural Ecosystems. Chapman & Hall: London. World 

Wide Fund for Nature. 

Huenneke, L.F. and P.M. Vitousek. 1989. Seedling and clonal recruitment of the invasive tree, Psidium cattleianum: 

implications for management of native Hawaiian forests. Biological Conservation 53:199-211. 

Jacobi, J.D. and F.R. Warshauer. 1992. The current and potential distribution of six introduced plant species in upland 

habitats on the island of Hawaii. In C.P. Stone, C.W. Smith, and J.T. Tunison (eds.), Alien Plant Invasions in 

Native Ecosystems of Hawai`i: Management and Research. Univ. Hawaii Coop. Natl. Park Resour. Studies Unit. 

Univ. Hawaii Press, Honolulu. 

Swearingen, J. 2009. WeedUS Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States: Strawberry Guava 

(Psidium cattleianum). http://www.invasive.org/weedus/subject.html?sub=6272. 

The Nature Conservancy. Strawberry Guava: Element Stewardship Abstract. In: Wildland Weeds Management & 

Research Program, Weeds on the Web. 

USDA, NRCS. 2009. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 

70874-4490 USA. 

Wagner, W.L., D.R. Herbst and S.H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. University of Hawaii Press 

and Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawaii.