Comments on: Guavas http://ntsavanna.com/guavas/ Learning a savanna in Panama, plant by plant Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:43:09 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: mary http://ntsavanna.com/guavas/comment-page-1/#comment-4163 mary Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:50:43 +0000 http://ntsavanna.com/?p=205#comment-4163 Hello Tom, As I understand it, many trees in the Myrtaceae family have peeling bark, and it's certainly normal for guava trees. This characteristic helps the tree shed vines that want to climb up its trunk. I've read that vines and lianas can overwhelm a long-lived tree. Once the vine leaves reach the crown of the tree, they begin to compete with the leaves of the tree itself for sunlight, and of course the root of the vine is in the soil right there with the tree roots, so there is competition for nutrients as well. I know from experience that peeling bark will indeed shed a climbing vine. I once foolishly planted a vanilla orchid at the base of a eucalyptus tree. The orchid grew up the tree for awhile and then, suddenly, it was on the ground with a strip of bark at its side! Mary Hello Tom,
As I understand it, many trees in the Myrtaceae family have peeling bark, and it’s certainly normal for guava trees. This characteristic helps the tree shed vines that want to climb up its trunk. I’ve read that vines and lianas can overwhelm a long-lived tree. Once the vine leaves reach the crown of the tree, they begin to compete with the leaves of the tree itself for sunlight, and of course the root of the vine is in the soil right there with the tree roots, so there is competition for nutrients as well.

I know from experience that peeling bark will indeed shed a climbing vine. I once foolishly planted a vanilla orchid at the base of a eucalyptus tree. The orchid grew up the tree for awhile and then, suddenly, it was on the ground with a strip of bark at its side!

Mary

]]> By: Tom in San Diego http://ntsavanna.com/guavas/comment-page-1/#comment-4155 Tom in San Diego Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:23:49 +0000 http://ntsavanna.com/?p=205#comment-4155 Why does the bark on guava trees peel? I have a young Pink Thai guava tree that has peeling bark. I thought there might be something wrong with it. It sounds like this is normal for guava trees. Why does the bark on guava trees peel? I have a young Pink Thai guava tree that has peeling bark. I thought there might be something wrong with it. It sounds like this is normal for guava trees.

]]> By: mary http://ntsavanna.com/guavas/comment-page-1/#comment-392 mary Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:04:08 +0000 http://ntsavanna.com/?p=205#comment-392 Agro, I can imagine a child loving to peel this bark, and what an rich imagination that child had to think it might be a disease of the tree! The Myrtaceae have brought me great satisfaction this season - ever since so many of them went into bloom last February - all with their small white petals and many, many stamens. I've become so fond of them because they're so easy to recognize and so attractive. Well, the guava plant itself may not be that gorgeous, but most of the Myrtaceae are. Plus, so many of them produce good fruit rich in vitamin C. I didn't even get into the health benefits of guava. As far as species, well, yes. Far smarter people than I have puzzled over that "problem." We humans always trying to find our little boxes for things in nature. Thanks for commenting, Agro. Agro,

I can imagine a child loving to peel this bark, and what an rich imagination that child had to think it might be a disease of the tree!

The Myrtaceae have brought me great satisfaction this season – ever since so many of them went into bloom last February – all with their small white petals and many, many stamens. I’ve become so fond of them because they’re so easy to recognize and so attractive. Well, the guava plant itself may not be that gorgeous, but most of the Myrtaceae are. Plus, so many of them produce good fruit rich in vitamin C. I didn’t even get into the health benefits of guava.

As far as species, well, yes. Far smarter people than I have puzzled over that “problem.” We humans always trying to find our little boxes for things in nature.

Thanks for commenting, Agro.

]]> By: Agro Rachmatullah http://ntsavanna.com/guavas/comment-page-1/#comment-391 Agro Rachmatullah Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:23:28 +0000 http://ntsavanna.com/?p=205#comment-391 A very instructive, hands-on article. The bark photo reminded me strongly of a Guava my neighbor next door had but has since been chopped. I liked peeling it when I was a child and thought that it was a disease the plant had. I wish it were still there so I could check the Myrtaceae characteristics you listed here with my own hands. The concept of species is indeed baffling and I have many times opened and reread the Wikipedia page, still bewildered until now :). A very instructive, hands-on article. The bark photo reminded me strongly of a Guava my neighbor next door had but has since been chopped. I liked peeling it when I was a child and thought that it was a disease the plant had. I wish it were still there so I could check the Myrtaceae characteristics you listed here with my own hands.

The concept of species is indeed baffling and I have many times opened and reread the Wikipedia page, still bewildered until now :) .

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