Discovering the Amazing Guava Fruit Tree

A Gardener's Delight:
How to grow Guava Tree, delicious recipes and more...

Imagine stepping into your garden, plucking a fresh, juicy guava off a tree, and savoring its sweet, tropical flavor. Sounds delightful, doesn't it? Guava trees are not only a wonderful addition to any garden but also offer an array of delicious and nutritious fruits. Let's explore the fascinating world of guava fruit trees, dive into the different species, and share some tasty ways to enjoy this remarkable fruit.

If you're blessed with a warm climate, find a sunny spot with well-drained soil for your tree. Water it regularly, especially during dry spells, and keep it well-fed with a balanced fertilizer. Pruning is essential for maintaining a bushy, healthy tree that'll reward you with an abundance of fruits...

Flowering vine around garage trellis

Q: I want to grow flowering vines up and around my garage; however I want to make sure whatever I put will grow long enough to make it all the way around the top. I attached photo of my garage and where I mounted the bolts for the trellis. What plants do you recommend for doing something like this that will eventually grow long enough to complete the arch over the garage? Right now I have mandevillas there but I know they aren't the right species. I know bougainvilleas will work, but I was hoping to do something less thorny since it's near the walkway.

A: There are several vines that can fit your project. These are just a few suggestions:

1017 Aristolochia gigantea - Giant Pelican Flower
Camptosema grandiflora - Dwarf Red Jade Vine
Cissus rotundifolia - Arabian Wax Leaf (very fast glowing)
Clerodendrum speciosum - Red Bleeding Heart
Clitoria ternatea - Blue Butterfly Pea (very fast glowing)
Jasminum sambac Maid of Orleans
Senecio confusus - Mexican flame vine
Stictocardia beraviensis - Hawaiian Sunset Bell (very fast glowing)
Thunbergia alata var. aurea Sunlady
Thunbergia laurifolia - Blue Sky vine
Trachelospermum jasminoides - Confederate Jasmine
Urechites lutea - Yellow Mandevilla

Check out full list of flowering vines

Photo above: Clerodendrum speciosum - Red Bleeding Heart

Photo above: Senecio confusus - Mexican flame vine

Photo above: Clitoria ternatea - Blue Butterfly Pea

Photo above: Thunbergia laurifolia - Blue Sky vine

The Passion Fruit - Juicy Maracuya

by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

...There was an unexpected confusion with the name of this plant. Most people understand its name literally: passiflora - a flower of passion, and its fruits - the fruits of passion, implying human, earthly passions. Nevertheless, the passion fruit is so called because it is one of the many  species  of  passion flower, the English translation of the Latin genus name,  PassiFlora.
Learn more about this delicious, flavorful fruit and how to grow it in your own garden in no time...

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Fragrant Pakalana Vine - a delicious meal?

Q: I visited Thailand recently, and enjoyed a wonderful stir fry made with Cowslip flowers. I would love to grow it myself. I need this vine in my life! Do you have them in your inventory and if so, will I be able to grow it successfully here in SW Florida?

A: By Onika Amell, tropical flower specialist.
The extremely fragrant Telosoma cordata has many names: Cowslip Creeper, Pakalana vine, Tonkin Jasmine, Dok Kajon, or Chinese violet. It is a very sought after rare tropical fragrant ornamental, but not everyone knows that this flower makes a delicious meal!
The flowers have a lovely lemon-like fragrance and can be found in South East Asian food markets. It is typically fried with eggs to make omelets or stir-fried with tofu or pork and beef. Young leaves & flower buds can also be eaten fresh (in a salad) or battered & fried. Not only are the flowers delicious, but they are chock and block full of carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins A and C.
An old Chinese tale tells the story of the mystic, aromatic powers of the Pakalana vine...

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