Our fearless leader, Hank Ortiz, has a Guava tree (Psidium guajava) that is blooming like crazy right now, so that is ArborNote’s Tree of the Week! These fruit trees are native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. Archaeological sites in Peru yielded evidence of guava cultivation as early as 2500 BC! Fresh guavas are rich in vitamins A, B, and C; they are commonly eaten raw, or they are processed into jams, jellies, and preserves and are common pastry fillings. The fruit is cultivated and favored by humans, and many other animals such as birds consume it, readily dispersing the seeds in their droppings. Guava wood is used for meat smoking in Hawaii, and is used at barbecue competitions across the United States. In Cuba and Mexico, the leaves are used in barbecues!