Guavas

[Anthony]

@Marlon ,

here you are.

The first is a guava type, probably from Brazil, seed dropped by a bird,
One problem, prefers to grow evenly as the trunk goes.
Still have to solve that one.
Most likely - Sub Tropical [ Bnut has no Sub Tropical forum ]



Second one - local guava - old trees have trunks around 30 cm [ 12 inches ]
and are not really dense, leaves are carried on the outside of the tree.
Fruit is tasty, small yellow, somewhat seedy ball.
Makes great jam/jelly.

This one is about 5 years old. Tests show the two trunks
[little less than 1 cm wide each / say 1/4 inch ] can support around 180 leaves or so,
but after defoliation , the leaves quickly revert to normal size ]

That 1 to 6 guideline migjht represent an optimum for density of branch and leaf,
per height. Example 1 inch [ 2.5 cm ] trunk to 6 inches height [ 15 cm ] can support
x branches and x leaves.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Marlon]

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/a-guava-type.28606/#post-533886


@Anthony
Thanks for the new picture Anthony.
Looking at the picture in the thread 'a guava type' I was very interested to see the development of the second and third branches after the cut- back. Its very educational, I have high hopes for my guava, photos coming soon, so I get very worried about pruning large branches. Recently got advice from @c54fun to let it grow, and its currently going crazy, buds everywhere!

Its true, we get guavas growing in the wild and grown for fruit. The trunks are about that size, a few much bigger, i think they live quite long. Dimensions of trunk to height, 1 to 6, is what I am working towards with basically all the trees I have. Also I think, for now at least, i prefer bigger bonsai, mine has a ways to go. I have eaten strawberry guava here, still hunting for seed, it was way back and I was interested in neither cultivation nor bonsai. That said i think any guava type will do well here.

I actually have decent taper on my guava, and the leaves on it look almost identical to the ones on your local type. The ripe fruit is similar to your description. I think they might be the same. So tips here should work with mine. When I first re potted and pruned it I was very reckless, probably came close to losing the tree, but it was root-bound and sickly. I got a five cuttings out of which only one survived. What is interesting is that the roots that has escaped through the bottom of the bucket actually started throwing out shoots. I just dug them up today, roots attached, and re potted. Think I might try and see how a clump style guava will look.

Cheers