Psidium guajava L. alias Jambu isi alias Jambu Bangkok alias alias Guava alias guyava alias kuawa.

Masa kecil di kampung, buah yang satu ini selalu menjadi idola untuk diserbu oleh teman-teman kecil saya, terutama yang ada di pohon tetangga..hehe. Tapi sialnya kebanyakan buah yang ada di kampung sudah keburu keduluan oleh lalat buah yang menyarangkan generasi penerusnya di dalam buah, jadi ya begitulah kadang terpaksa kami harus rela untuk menikmati buah yang masih masam karena masih muda, sedangkan yang sudah ranum menguning sudah jadi jatah lalat buah, karena ternyata dia lebih rajin mengamati pertumbuhan si jambu ini.

Saat ini, kesukaan menikmati jambu bangkok ternyata mendapatkan habitat tepat, di stal buah di pasar biasa kami belanja ternyata selalu memajang setumpuk jambu-jambu yang membangkitkan selera, tapi bedanya saya tak perlu lagi harus celingak-celinguk mengawasi si empunya pohon, dan dengan gesit naik ke pohon atau kalau tak memungkinkan menyambit dengan penuh tenaga, yang kadang batunya malah mampir ke genting tetangga.

Jambu dengan diameter rata-rata 10 cm menjadi tujuan pokok untuk masuk dalam daftar belanjaan tiap akhir pekan. Inilah sekilas tentang buah jambu isi, yang secara aklamasi terpilih menjadi buah idaman keluarga.

Species:
Brazilian guava, Guisaro (Psidium guinense Sw.), Cattley Guava, Strawberry Guava (P. cattleianum Sabine), Costa Rican Guava (P. friedrichsthalianum Ndz.), Para Guava (P. acutangulum DC.), Rumberry, Guavaberry (Myrciaria floribunda Berg).

Origin:
The place of origin of the guava is uncertain, but it is believed to be an area extending from southern Mexico into or through Central America. It has been spread by man, birds and other animals to all warm areas of tropical America and in the West Indies (since 1526).

Content:
The tropical guava, Psidium guajava, is regarded as an excellent source of vitamin C, but there is great variation in vitamin C levels amongst the various cultivated varieties. For example, the variety 'Donaldson' has 372 mg/100 grams of flesh, but the variety 'Supreme' has only 44 mg/100 gms (some South African pink guava cultivars grown for the canning industry are said to have an astonishing 400 mg/100 gms!).

Growth Habit:
Guavas are evergreen, shallow-rooted shrubs or small trees to 33 ft, with spreading branches. Growth in California is rarely over 10 - 12 feet. The bark is smooth, mottled green or reddish brown and peels off in thin flakes to reveal the attractive "bony" aspect of its trunk. The plant branches close to the ground and often produces suckers from roots near the base of the trunk. Young twigs are quadrangular and downy.

Location:
Like other tender subtropicals, guavas need a frost-free location, but are not too fussy otherwise. They prefer full sun.

Pests and diseases:
-Foliage diseases,can be controlled with regular fungicide applications.
-Guava whitefly, guava moth and Caribbean fruit fly. In some tropical countries the where fruit flies are a problem, the fruit is covered when small with paper sacks to protect it

Commercial potential:
Guava is one of the leading fruits of Mexico. Commercial producation of guava in Hawaii and Florida is hampered by the presence of fruit flies.

CULTIVARS
-Beaumont
-Detwiler
-Hong Kong Pink
-Mexican Cream
-Red Indian
-Ruby X
-Sweet White Indonesian
-White Indian
-White Seedless

Sumber:
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/guava.html
http://www.naturalhub.com/natural_food_guide_fruit_vitamin_c.htm