Psidium cattleyanum f. lucidum (yellow cattley guava, "Kiminobanjiro")

Japanese name: キミノバンジロウ
Scientific name: Psidium cattleyanum f. lucidum

[Overview]
An evergreen shrub 1–4.5 m tall.
In its native range it can sometimes become a tree 13 m tall.
The trunk branches near the ground, and the bark is smooth and gray to reddish brown.
Leaves are simple and opposite, elliptic to obovate, 4–7.5 cm long, thick, with a glossy dark green upper surface and indistinct lateral veins.
The leaf margin is entire.
It flowers year-round if conditions such as temperature are suitable.
The flowers are borne 1–3 at a time in the leaf axils; they are white with 4–5 petals, about 2.5 cm across, and the many long stamens are conspicuous.
The flowers are fragrant.
The fruit is spherical or elliptic to ovoid, 4 cm long and 3–4 cm across; the skin is green at first and turns yellow when ripe, and the flesh is white.
The flesh contains stone cells like those seen in pears, so it has a gritty texture.

[Uses]
The ripe fruit is fragrant and is eaten raw or made into jelly and jam.
The bark is used medicinally, and the leaves are used as a substitute for tea.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or cuttings.
As long as the site is sunny and well drained, it is not particular about soil.
It is desirable to keep the winter minimum temperature at 5°C or above.
From spring to autumn, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; in winter, keep it on the dry side.
From spring to autumn, apply a fertilizer with equal amounts of the three components or one relatively high in phosphate.
Prune after harvesting the fruit, but flower buds form on the terminal and axillary buds of the previous year's branches, so do not cut the branch tips back hard.
Pests include aphids and scale insects.

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