The cattley guava is believed native to the lowlands of eastern Brazil, especially near the coast. It is cultivated to a limited extent in other areas of South America and Central America and in the West Indies, Bermuda, the Bahamas, southern and central Florida and southern California. A commercial planting of about 3,000 trees was established at La Mesa, California, around 1884 and the trees were still producing heavily a half century later. Today there is much more use of the cattley guava as an ornamental hedge than as a fruit tree. It is grown occasionally in subtropical Africa, and in highlands of the Philippines at elevations up to 5,000 ft (1,500 m), India, Ceylon and Malaya. It was introduced into Singapore in 1877 and at various times thereafter but failed to survive at low altitudes. In Hawaii, it has become naturalized in moist areas, forming dense, solid stands, and is subject to eradication in range lands. It is one of the major "weed trees" of Norfolk Island; has escaped into pastures and woods at elevations between 1,500 and 3,000 ft (457-914 m) in Jamaica.
