Guavaberry

Guavaberry
Guavaberry
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Myrciaria
Species: M. floribunda
Binomial name
Myrciaria floribunda
Berg.

The guavaberry or rumberry (Myrciaria floribunda or Eugenia Floribunda) is a fruit tree which grows in the Caribbean. The guavaberry, which should not be confused with the guava, is a close relative of Camu Camu.

Guavaberry trees or shrubs grow in a variety of shapes and sizes up to 60 feet high. They have red-brown branches and small pink and white flowers. The fruit, which are roughly half the size of cherries, are yellow-orange or dark-red and contain a small amount of transculent flesh surrounding a stone.

Guavaberry trees can be found growing wild in Central America, South America, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and on many islands in the Lesser Antilles. The guavaberry has also been introduced to Florida, Hawaii, Bermuda, and the Philippines.

Guavaberry Emporium, Sint Maarten

Guavaberry is used to make jams and drinks. Guavaberry liqueur, which is made from rum, is a common Christmas drink on many of the islands, particularly in Sint Maarten and the Virgin Islands. The colonists from Denmark and Holland found it could flavor rum by infusion similar to infused schnapps. In the Dominican Republic it is associated with the eastern town of San Pedro de Macoris which has a large population of Eastern Caribbean descent. Guavaberry is also used for medicinal purposes.

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