Tropical Fruit Trees to Prevent Soil Erosion

Guava and Erosion

• Many tropical trees have been used for erosion control, but most of them do not bear edible fruit. Fruit trees noted for their erosion control in the tropics are members of the vigorous guava (Psidium) species, generally hardy in USDA zones 9 and 10. Among these family members are the well-known common guava (Psidium guajava), whose fruits are used for jellies and juices; and the strawberry guava (Psidium littorale). Both plants are grown as either small trees or large, multistemmed shrubs.

Guava Characteristics

• Strawberry guava trees grow 10 to 15 feet tall with smooth bark that ranges from yellow-green to darker green-gray. The white spring flowers with multiple prominent stamens are followed by dark red, oval to pear-shaped fruits in summer. Common guava trees are a little taller, with similar colored bark that is scaly in texture. The leaves of both trees are oval to elliptical in shape. The guavas' stable, shrubby habit, sometimes with multiple trunks, helps the plants hold soil. Guavas also help prevent wind erosion of dry soil by drawing less ground water from the earth than taller trees would.

Cultural Requirements

• If both fruit production and erosion control are important, plant multiple guavas. Though the plants are self fertile, multiple plants ensure larger yields. Plant in full sun to very light shade in rich, loamy soil. The plants can occasionally tolerate temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. One of the ways that guavas and other plants help control erosion is by shedding litter, including dead leaves, branches and fruits. For erosion control, do not rake away the litter. If erosion control is not a goal, guavas can also be grown successfully in containers and, outside their hardiness range, overwintered inside.

Guava Considerations

• The best way to control erosion is to plant strips large strips of land with plant communities consisting of multiple species, including grasses, perennials, shrubs and small trees like guavas. Native to the tropical Americas and Brazil, guavas have also been reported as invasive in some places. In Hawaii, strawberry guava, which has no native natural predators, has taken over many naturalized areas. Ironically, when this happens and guavas outcompete mixed plant communities of native erosion-controlling vegetation, erosion can actually increase.