Quick update on the Sylvia guava variety and it's similarity to the China Carmine guava.
I was able to get a Carmine fruit this week from a person who has the tree (Aries). I have the fruit, and it smelled ready to eat so I did cut it up and took many photos of it. The fruit did not color up as much as the Sylvia, but I was told the fruits that ripen at this time of the year will not have much red blush, more of a white/yellow color with just a little red dots.
For my taste comparision, here's what I concluded with trying only one Carmine fruit today:
1. Yes, the Sylvia seems to be very similar in smell/fragrance to Carmine. Size and shape is similar although the Sylvia tree is older and had larger fruits(243 grams).
2. The Carmine guava tasted very similar to Sylvia, but the Sylvia guava in spring seemed to be much sweeter to me.
Carmine brix (today) = 7
Sylvia guava brix (2/25/24) = 11
3. I liked both fruits, but since I ate a lot more Sylvia, it seemed to have more flavor to me and sweeter.
So, anyone who got the seeds or the cuttings to grow is doing well. You probably have a variety of the Carmine guava frm China, I hear there are more than one type of Carmine but most are all excellent tasting.
I'll post some photos of the Carmine fruit later tonight.
