Yellow Cherry Guava

Yellow Cherry Guava (Psidium cattleianum var. lucidum) is the yellow-fruited form of strawberry guava, also called lemon guava. It forms a dense evergreen shrub or small tree of about 3m to 4m with glossy dark leaves, and the golf ball sized fruit is sweet with a hint of lemon.

Why you'll love it

• Sweet-tart yellow fruit. The round yellow fruit has soft, juicy flesh with a light citrus tang, good for eating fresh or making jam.
• Glossy, dense foliage. Dark, leathery leaves make a handsome backdrop in any season.
• Hardier than tropical guavas. It copes with cooler conditions than common guavas and tolerates a light frost once established.
• Works as a hedge. It clips well, so it fills the roles of hedge, screen and fruit tree in one plant.

Where it works best

Fruiting hedge. Plant 1.5m apart and trim after harvest for a dense, glossy hedge that gives fruit as well as privacy.

Screen. Left unclipped it grows to 3m to 4m, enough to hide a fence or soften a side boundary.

Large pots. A pot 45cm or wider keeps it compact, and it is a good choice for courtyards.

Growing Yellow Cherry Guava in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. It grows well in subtropical, warm temperate and mild cool temperate gardens and tolerates a light frost once established. In warm, wet climates it can self-seed, so pick the fruit, do not let it drop, and avoid planting near bushland.

Soil. Well drained soil with some organic matter. It handles most soils and a little salt wind.

Water and feed. Water regularly through the first summer, then deeply in dry weather. Feed in spring with a fertiliser suited to fruit trees.

Pruning. Clip lightly after harvest. As a hedge it can be trimmed two or three times a year.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Yellow Cherry Guava in 140mm pots in packs of 10 and 200mm pots in packs of 6. They arrive as young, leafy plants that settle in quickly. The 140mm packs of 10 suit a hedge, while the 200mm packs of 6 give a slightly bigger start. Our growers do not hold every size all year, so a size can show as on backorder at times. An order for a backorder size is confirmed with you before anything ships.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse more fruit trees for the home garden
• Best hedging plants
• More edible plants for the productive garden
• Fruit trees for every season: planting tips

Common questions

Is it the same as red cherry guava?

It is the yellow form of the same species. The fruit is yellow, a little sweeter and less sharp than the red form.

Can it become a weed?

In warm, wet climates it can self-seed through birds and fruit drop. Pick the fruit, do not plant near bushland and pull any seedlings.

Do I need fruit fly netting?

Yes. Fruit fly can attack the ripening fruit, so net the plant or pick slightly early.