How Long Does It Take for a Guava Tree to Be Full Grown?

Tree Size

• The climate is a major factor in the final size of your mature guava tree. In tropical regions, a common guava tree may reach up to 33 feet, but in areas with mild summers and cold winters, the tree may only reach 10 to 12 feet tall at maturity. The common guava tree may spread out a distance equal to its height.

Tree Maturity

• Fruit on the branches signals the guava tree is reaching maturity. A grafted common guava takes about two to three years to mature, while if you plant seedlings, you will wait up to five years before getting any fruit.

Fruit Yields

• A healthy, mature guava tree produces between 50 and 80 pounds of guavas each year, according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension. Depending on your climate, you may be able to harvest guavas from your tree all year long. The fruits turn from green to the mature color of the variety of guava you planted, yellow in the case of common guava. The fruit's fragrance also strengthens as they ripen.

  As the fruits continue to mature on the tree from ripe to over-ripe, they fall off, attracting fruit flies and other insects, so it is best to harvest the guavas before they fall. The amount of fruit produced by your mature tree is influenced by the amount of new growth on the tree.

Mature Tree Fertilizing

• The actual amount and type of fertilizer depends on where you live. Typically a common guava tree should be fed 2/3 cup of 21-0-0 fertilizer, which contains nitrogen-only. Apply on the ground around the tree, and water it in. Begin feeding this in February, and repeat every three months until August before giving the tree a rest over the winter. Follow the mixing directions on the package. Guava in some areas may need 1/2 pound nitrogen-only fertilizer spread out over monthly applications.

  To apply your fertilizer, evenly sprinkle the dry fertilizer around the tree and water it in. Water the tree deeply and only often enough to let the top several inches of soil dry out before watering again. This may happen as frequently as once a week, especially during dry periods or when the tree produces flowers and fruit and needs adequate moisture.

Weather Stress

• Temperatures below 28 F may kill gauva trees that have not yet matured. The underground parts of the plant, though, will likely regenerate, giving you a tree with fruit in two to three years. Mature guava can tolerate, without serious damage, short-lived cold snaps of 25 F to 26 F. Placing a tarp over the guava tree can protect it from a killing frost, provided the temperature doesn't dip below 20 F. Guava can also tolerate flooding when the ground is soaked for short durations. While mature guava can reach 12 feet, if you live in an area with strong winds, maintain the trees at 6 to 10 feet.