Florida Tropical Fruit Trees

Guava

• Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is a native fruit of the American tropics. Guava is grown commercially in the United States in Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Guava trees are single or multi-trunked and grow to a mature height of about 20 feet. The bark is a mottled green-brown and the 3- to 7-inch-long foliage has serrated edges and prominent veins on the undersides. Guava fruit is oval to round-shaped with small, brown seeds. The aromatic, sweet-tart flavored fruit weighs from 1 to 48 oz and the skin color ranges between green and yellow. Guava trees are well-adapted to growing in Florida since they prefer temperatures of 73 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mango

• Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a native tropical fruit of India and Southeast Asia and is grown in the tropical and subtropical lowlands of the world. The fruit is commercially cultivated in the southeastern and southwestern areas of Florida. Mango trees are evergreen and grow to a mature height of 30 to 100 feet with a symmetrical, rounded canopy. The 6- to 16-inch-long foliage is leathery and dark green and the fruit is classified as drupe. Mangoes differ in shape, color, taste and size depending on variety. The skin is leathery and the fruit is sweet and jelly-like with a single kidney-shaped seed in the center. Mango trees are adapted to warm, temperate areas and have no tolerance for cold; they are prone to damage or death at temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Mango trees can be propagated easily with seed or vegetatively.

Papaya

• Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is also referred to as pawpaw and du du. The fruit is a native of the Central America and southern Mexican lowlands and grows abundantly in tropical and subtropical regions. Papaya trees are single-trunked with a mature height of about 33 feet with large, short-lived, palmate-lobed foliage. The fruit is an ovate berry, about 20 lbs. with a thick skin, sweet orange flesh and many small, black seeds. The tree grows best in areas with 70- to 90-degrees Fahrenheit temperatures and has no tolerance for cold or high wind. Papaya trees can easily be propagated with seed.