Grow guava from seed in warm mix. The seedling will not match the fruit you ate.
Sow fresh seed a quarter-inch deep in warm mix
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | Fresh seed, rinsed of pulp | Do not sow old seed that sat cold for years |
| Depth | A quarter-inch to a half-inch in moist, sterile mix | Do not bury it an inch deep in cold, wet soil |
| Warmth | Keep the mix about 70 to 85 F | Do not expect sprouts if the mix stays below about 60 F |
guava seedlings are easy to start and slow to fruit. They do not come true, so the berry may not match the one you ate, and the first crop can wait three to eight years. [1] Wash the seed, sow it shallow in mix that stays barely moist, and keep it warm. Sprouts often take four to twelve weeks and come in uneven batches. [2] Cool mix delays everything. Cover the seed only a quarter-inch to a half-inch. [3] Keep the pot in bright light once it sprouts, and do not let the mix dry to dust. A named tree still starts as a nursery plant on Planting Guava. [4]
How long does guava seed take to sprout?
Often four to twelve weeks in warm mix. Cool mix can stall it for months.
Air-layer or take a cutting if you need the same fruit
Seed is a curiosity start. Named fruit comes from a cutting, an air-layer, or a grafted nursery tree. Home growers usually buy the named tree; the steps below are for someone who already has a good mother plant.
- For a cutting, take 6 to 8 inches of recently matured terminal wood with two or three leaves. Dip the base in rooting hormone, and keep it in a warm, moist, sterile mix until roots hold.
- For an air-layer, ring a strong shoot, wrap the wound in damp sphagnum, and wait until roots show before you cut it free. Keep the wrap moist the whole time.
- Buy a named container tree if you want fruit that matches a tag. Home growers rarely need to graft, and seedlings from the grocery fruit will not match that tag.
Will a grocery seed make the same fruit?
No. Sow it if you want a plant. Buy a named nursery tree if you want the fruit on the tag.
Wash a fresh seed, sow it shallow in warm mix, wait weeks, and do not count on that seedling for named fruit.
FAQ
Should I plant the seedling in the yard?
Only if you have 15 to 25 feet and you accept unknown fruit. A nursery tree is the landscape start on Planting Guava.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] University of Florida IFAS -
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG045 - [2] Trade Winds Fruit -
https://www.tradewindsfruit.com/content/guava.htm - [3] Weekand -
https://www.weekand.com/home-garden/article/plant-guava-seeds-18056445.php - [4] California Rare Fruit Growers (Growables) -
https://www.growables.org/information/TropicalFruit/GuavaCRFG.htm
This note is part of Psidium Guides.
More notes on making another plant live in Propagating Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors