Guayabo (Psidium guajava), the common guava, is arguably the most successful native American tropical fruit tree in the world. From its origins somewhere in the tropical Americas—possibly Mexico, possibly South America—guava has spread to every warm region on Earth. Its small, fragrant fruits with their distinctive aroma, seedy flesh, and unmistakable flavor have made guava beloved across cultures. In Costa Rica, guava grows wild in pastures and forest edges, is cultivated in home gardens, and sustains countless birds and mammals. This is a tree that nourishes everyone—from the toucans in the canopy to the children climbing its branches.

In Costa Rica, guava occupies an interesting ecological position: Native or Naturalized? - Origins unclear (Mexico vs. South America debate) - Possibly native to Central America - Or naturalized so long ago it functions as native Ecological Role: - Major food source for wildlife - Colonizes disturbed areas - Can be "weedy" in pastures - Integrated into ecosystems Conservation View: - Not treated as invasive in Costa Rica - Provides ecosystem services

• Part of cultural landscape Whether native or ancient introduction, guava is now firmly embedded in Costa Rican ecosystems.

There is hardly a village in Costa Rica without its guava trees— the spreading crowns with their distinctive mottled bark, the fragrant fruit ripening in the sun, the children who know exactly which tree has the sweetest guavas and exactly when they'll be ready. This is a tree that has fed humanity for thousands of years, that spread from its origins in the Americas to every warm corner of the globe, carrying its sweet bounty and its medicine with it. In Costa Rica, whether native or anciently naturalized, the guayabo has become inseparable from the landscape and the culture. The juice is served cold on hot afternoons. The jellies appear on breakfast tables. The fallen fruit feeds the agoutis and the toucans, completing the cycle. When you smell that unmistakable aroma drifting through a country road, you're smelling something very old and very essential—a tree that asks only for sun and water and gives back abundance to all who share its shade.