Psidium cattleianum Sabine, Myrtaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 18 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Psidium littorale Raddi var. longipes (O. Berg) Fosb.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Cattley guava, cherry guava, Chinese guava, purple guava, small guava, strawberry guava

Fijian: ngguava

French: goyave de Chine jaune, goyave de Chine rouge, goyavier, goyavier de Chine, goyavier-fraise

Hawaiian: waiawī ‘ula‘ula

Maori (Cook Islands): tū‘ava papa'ā, tuava papa'ā, tuava papa'ā, tūava papa'ā, tūava papa'ā, tūvava papa'ā

Samoan: ku‘ava

Tahitian: tuava popa'a, tuava tinito, tuvava tinito

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Evergreen shrub or slender tree 1-3 (-8) m high; branchlets cylindrical, smooth.  Leaves:  Dark green, glabrous, shiny, thick and leathery, veins not conspicuously impressed, long-tapering at the base.  Flowers:  White, ± 15 mm across, solitary.  Fruits:  Purplish-red berries, globose, cherry-sized, 20-30 mm long, flesh white, sweet"  (Henderson, 1995; p. 124).

Habitat/ecology:  Favors moist or wet slopes. Produces dense thickets of small-stemmed plants. Density of stands and allelopathic characteristics inhibit other species. Strawberry guava is found in Hawai‘i between 150-1,300 m, principally in rain forest habitats (C. W. Smith, 1985; p. 200), and to 1000 m in French Polynesia.  Tolerates shade and is a serious pest in both pastures and rain forests  (Motooka et al., 2003).  In Fiji, "A locally naturalized shrub or small tree 2-6 m high occurring near sea level or at low elevations, usually in beach thickets"  (A. C. Smith, 1985; p. 308). In New Caledonia, "est peu cultivé mais parfois naturalisé" (MacKee, 1994; p. 106).  In Mauritius, "invading upland evergreen wet forest, lower montane forest and wet forest, including areas with low disturbance"  (Cronk & Fuller, 2001; p. 113).

Propagation:  Seeds and suckers. Fruits are dispersed by birds and pigs. Also reportedly spread by cattle (Welsh, 1989; p. 200).

Native range:  South America.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced	Pickard, J. (1984) (p. 207)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 20) "Spread by cattle and birds, and growing so thickly that it crowds out any other plant". Vouchers cited: P.S. Green 2035 (K), A.C. Beauglehole 5838 (MEL), B. Conn 3572 (NSW)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Ziesing, P. (1997) (pp. 22-23)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 9) Var. cattleianum "Spread by cattle and birds, and growing so thickly that it crowds out any other plant". Vouchers cited: P.S. Green 2413 (K), M. Lazarides 8024 (CANB, K), G. Uhe 1105 (K); var. littorale Vouchers cited: P.S. Green 2414 (K), W.R. Sykes NI 383 (CHR), W.R. Sykes 878/87 (CHR)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 9)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 9)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 9)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 9)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 166373) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 664840) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 192)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 308) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 1026, Smith 9509, Vaughan 3446a, DF 348 (Damanu 37), DA 9177 (MccKee 2741), DA 11464, DA 12510, DA 6035
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1943) (voucher ID: BISH 166402) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 166403) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1986) (voucher ID: BISH 546556) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 82)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 200) Vouchers cited: Moore 227, Florence 3310
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1993) (voucher ID: BISH 658365) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 82)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 200) Voucher cited: Florence 3310
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 493562) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1983) (voucher ID: BISH 555129) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 698734) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rapa Island		? (year unknown)
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rapa Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1984) (voucher ID: BISH 493204) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rapa Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1984) (voucher ID: BISH 493219) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rapa Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1984) (voucher ID: BISH 493225) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Tubuai (Tupuai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 643733) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 971)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 971)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 971)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 971)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 971)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 971)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced invasive	Toyoda, Takeshi (2003) (p. 284) Naturalized
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007) As Psidium littorale Raddi
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Lifou	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 106) Voucher cited: Däniker 3140 (Z)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 106) Vouchers cited: Pancher s.n., Däniker 1167, MacKee 10002, Sévenet in MacKee 29765 Spontané
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R. (1977) (p. 120)
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R./West, C. J. (1996) (p. 456) Subject of eradication program.
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 866) "Cultivation escape in and around old orchards and to a limited extent in scrub along roadside and in indigenous forest".
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 192) Reported present by Fosberg et al. (1979) but not seen by Space et al. (2003).
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 104)
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 643372) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 10)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 28949) Taxon name on voucher: Psidium cattleianum Sabine

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	introduced cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 192)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 192)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 866) "Cultivation escape in and around old orchards and to a limited extent in scrub along roadside and in indigenous forest".

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 125)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	MacDonald, I. A. W./Thebaud, C./Strahm, W. A./Strasberg, D. (1991) (pp. 51-61)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Cultivé/Très envahissant"
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, D./Sussman, R. W. (1988) (pp. 187-204)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced invasive	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 348)

Comments:  One of the worst invasive species in forests of Hawai‘i, Tahiti, La Réunion and Mauritius.

Found on Upolu, Samoa, at Malololelei on the cross-island road. This stand has been there for some time as the specimens are quite large (Space & Flynn, 2002).

Becoming quite common on Rarotonga, Cook Islands (Space & Flynn, 2002).

A potential threat on Pitcairn Island.  A few plants around one homestead (Pierre Binggeli, communication to Aliens listserver).

The fruit is a host to fruit flies (Motooka et al., 2003).

Control:  The Nature Conservancy's Stewardship Abstract contains information on control methods.

Chemical: "Strawberry guava is sensitive to foliar, frill and cut-surface applications of triclopyr, dicamba, and 2,4-D, in descending order of efficacy. Glyphosate was ineffective over the long term although early defoliation was severe. Strawberry guava was also sensitive to basal bark applications of 2,4-D, picloram, and triclopyr. Where applications were made during dry days, conventional basal bark applications of triclopyr at 2 % and 2,4-D at 4 % of respective products were effective at Kokee. Thin line applications of triclopyr ester, 20 % product in diesel or crop oil, were effective. Thin line vertical applications to opposite sides of stems to 5 inches diameter was also effective.  HAVO staff controlled strawberry guava with triclopyr amine at 50% product in water applied to cut stumps or to frills (Chris Zimmer, HAVO).  Responses to soil applications of tebuthiuron and hexazinone were erratic, excellent to poor"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Additional information:  Information from the book "Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide" (Motooka et al., 2003). (PDF format).
Information on the "Environmental Bay of Plenty, New Zealand" web site.
Fact sheet on Psidium cattleianum on the web site of the Alien Plants Working Group, "Weeds Gone Wild"
Photo and Stewardship Abstract from the Nature Conservancy.
Information from the Purdue University NewCROP web site.
Fact sheet from "Common forest trees of Hawaii" (PDF format).

Additional online information about Psidium cattleianum is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Psidium cattleianum may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1929. Voucher specimen #BISH 166373 (Wilder, G.P. 1018).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1943. Voucher specimen #BISH 166402 (Greenwood, W. 1026).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1953. Voucher specimen #BISH 166403 (Smith, A.C. 9509).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1968. Voucher specimen #BISH 28949 (Bristol, M.L. 2424).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 493562 (Florence, J. 2301).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 698734 (Florence, J. 3310).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1983. Voucher specimen #BISH 555129 (Florence, J. 4485).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1984. Voucher specimen #BISH 493204 (Florence, J. 6237).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1984. Voucher specimen #BISH 493219 (Florence, J. 6336).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1984. Voucher specimen #BISH 493225 (Florence, J. 6320).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1986. Voucher specimen #BISH 546556 (Florence, J. 7331).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1990. Voucher specimen #BISH 664840 (Sykes, W.R. 465558).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1991. Voucher specimen #BISH 643372 (Florence 10751).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1992. Voucher specimen #BISH 643733 (Florence 11136).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1993. Voucher specimen #BISH 658365 (Florence 11888).

Cronk, Q. C. B./Fuller, J. L. 2001. Plant invaders. Earthscan Publications, Ltd., London. 241 pp.

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

Ellshoff, Zella E./Gardner, Donald E. /Wikler, Charles/Smith, Clifford W. 1995. Annotated bibliography of the genus Psidium, with emphasis on P. Cattleianum (strawberry guava) and P. Guajava (common guava), forest weeds in Hawai‘i. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawai‘i. Technical Report 95.

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Gargominy, Oliver/Bouchet, Philipe/Pascal, Michel/Jaffre, Tanguy/Tourneu, Jean-Christophe. 1996. Conséquences des introductions d'espèces animales et végétales sur la biodiversité en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Rev. Ecol. (Terre Vie) 51:375-401.

Henderson, Lesley. 1995. Plant invaders of Southern Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute Handbook No. 5, Agriculture Research Council, ARC/LNR, Pretoria, South Africa. 177 pp.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

Lavergne, Christophe. 2006. List des especes exotiques envahissantes a La Reunion. Unpublished manuscript (Excel file). .

Little, Elbert L./Skolmen, Roger G. 1989. Common forest trees of Hawaii (native and introduced). USDA Agriculture Handbook 679. Washington, D.C. 377 pp. + plates.

Lorence, D./Sussman, R. W. 1988. Diversity, density, and invasion in a Mauritian wet forest. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Garden 25:187-204.

MacDonald, I. A. W./Thebaud, C./Strahm, W. A./Strasberg, D. 1991. Effects of alien plant invasions on native vegetation remnants on La Reunion (Mascarenes Islands, Indian Ocean). Environmental Conservation 18 (1):51-61.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2000. Preliminary review of the invasive plants in the Pacific islands (SPREP Member Countries). In: Sherley, G. (tech. ed.). Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa. 190 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Castro, Luisa/Nelson, Duane/ Nagai, Guy/Ching, Lincoln. 2003. Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. 184 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Ching, Lincoln/Nagai, Guy. 2002. Herbicidal Weed Control Methods for Pasture and Natural Areas of Hawaii. Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i. CTAHR free publication WC-8.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1994. Flora of Australia. Vol. 49, Oceanic islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Parham, B. E. V. 1972. Plants of Samoa. New Zealand Dept. of Scientific and Industrial Research Information Series No. 85, Wellington. 162 pp.

Pickard, J. 1984. Exotic plants on Lord Howe Island: Distribution in space and time, 1853-1981. J. of Biogeography 11:181-208.

Pratt, Llinda/Santos, Greg/Stone, Charles. 1994. A test of four herbicides for use against strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum Sabine) in Kipahulu Valley, Haleakala National Park. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawai'i, Department of Botany. Technical Report 90.

Smith, Albert C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 3. 758 pp.

Smith, Clifford W. 1985. Impact of Alien Plants on Hawai‘i's Native Biota. In: Stone, Charles P. and Scott, J. Michael, eds. Hawai‘i's terrestrial ecosystems: preservation and Management. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawaii, Manoa.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

Sykes, W. R. 1977. Kermadec Islands flora: an annotated checklist. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 219, Wellington. 216 pp.

Sykes, W. R./West, C. J. 1996. New records and other information on the vascular flora of the Kermadec Islands. New Zealand Journal of Botany 34:447-462.

Toyoda, Takeshi. 2003. Flora of the Bonin Islands. Aboc & Co. 522 pp.

U. S. Government. 2006. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.

Weber, Ewald. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 548 pp.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Ziesing, P. 1997. Norfolk Island weed control manual for selected weeds occurring in Norfolk Island National Park. Environment Australia, Norfolk Island.