Brazilians are familiar with guava, guava trees, and guava paste. They know how to use guava leaf tea to soothe children’s colic, treat diarrhea (whether viral or bacterial), and even apply the tea made from young guava leaves to cleanse inflamed acne-prone skin. The guava, scientifically known as Psidium guajava , is native to the Americas—both Central and South America (except for Mexico, where it doesn’t grow). It goes by various names, including: Araçá-guaçu Araçaíba Araçá-das-almas Araçá-mirim Araçauaçu Araçá-goiaba Guava White guava tree Red guava tree Guaiaba Guaiava Guava Guiaba Mepera Pereira It’s a close cousin to the araçás, which also belong to the Psidium genus within the Myrtaceae family. Araçás resemble small, rustic guavas. According to some texts, our Psidium guajava is native to the Brazilian cerrados (savannas) and has spread throughout the continent thanks to human hands, animal stomachs, and bird flights. The ripe, fragrant guava is not...