The guava is an evergreen tree reaching a height of 3 - 10m. The trunk is slender with a greenish-brown scaly bark which peels off in thin flakes. The white flowers are either solitary or in groups of two or three, arising from the leaf axils of younger branches. The fruit is round, ovoid or pear- shaped berry, 5 cm or more in diameter and 4 - 12cm long. It has a thin greenish-yellow skin and a flesh of varying thickness which may be white, yellow-pink or red. The outer layer of flesh is a finely granular pulp; the inside is softer pulp with many small hard seeds. Some varieties are seedless. The flavour is variable and is distinguished by a characteristic and penetrating musky aroma of varying intensity.