- Genus: Persea
- Species: P. americana
- Family: Lauraceae
Avocados are incredible trees in the laurel family known for their oily and delicious fruit, which have numerous health benefits. Avocados are an excellent source of a multitude of vitamins. These super fruits (which are technically berries) have properties that can improve digestion, reduce depression and are good for heart health. These and other health benefits were examined on Medical News Today.
Avocado flowers are “complete” or “perfect” meaning their flowers are hermaphroditic (having both male and female parts) and therefore are technically self-fertile. Though, Avocados are only partially self-pollinating due to their unusual flowering known as protogynous dichogamy, which means that the male and female parts of the flower open and close at different times. Avocado flowers fall into two basic types: A and B. A-cultivar flowers open in the morning as female first and reopen the following afternoon as male. Type-B cultivar open first as female in the afternoon and reopen the following morning as male.
Due to this phenomenon having two varieties one of which is type-A and the second type-B, will produce a greater fruit set on each tree assuming their flowering and fruit season are the same. Protogynous dichogamy is a biological control to maximize the odds of cross-pollination. Though often trees will produce ample fruit with or without a cross-pollinator. Additionally cross-pollination is likely in heavily populated residential areas from neighboring properties.
Avocado trees do fantastic in Central Florida, as long as the correct varieties are grown. Avocados are often propagated by grafting in the nursery trade as to ensure consistent fruit set and greatly reduce the time to fruit set. Most Avocados prefer a hot climate, but a few varieties can withstand cold weather down to as low as 15°F. Avocados are endemic to Mexico, Central American and South America. Avocados fall into three categories: West Indian, Guatemalan and Mexican. Cold hardiness is a crucial factor in Central Florida as we can occasionally experience frost and below freezing temperatures, typically West Indian varieties are the least cold hardy and Mexican are the most cold hardy.
We’ve come up with a list of our favorite varieties for Central Florida. Factors that go into our decision are: mature tree height, cold hardiness, fruit quality and production/output. In no particular order:
- Lila/Opal
- Flower Type: A
- Season: September-October
- Origin: Mexican
- Fruit Size: Small (6-8 oz)
- Cold Hardiness: High (can handle 15°F for a short time once established)
- Outdoor Range: 8-11
- Small semi-dwarf tree 10-15 feet tall (5ft in container) with a rich, creamy and oily medium-sized Avocado.
- Brazos Belle/Wilma
- Flower Type: B
- Season: February to May
- Origin: Mexican
- Fruit Size: Small (6-8 oz)
- Cold Hardiness: High (can handle 15°F for a short time once established)
- Outdoor Range: Zone 8-11
- Small semi-dwarf tree (mature height of 20-25 feet), smooth buttery texture and this variety fruits very early from graft and are vigorous growers. Prone to fungal infection anthracnose due to high humidity.
- Fantastic/Del Rio/Pryor
- Flower Type: A
- Season: August-October
- Origin: Mexican
- Fruit Size: Small (6-8 oz)
- Cold Hardiness: High (can handle 15-18°F for a short time once established)
- Outdoor Range: Zone 8-11
- Mature height of 25-30 feet, dark green, bumpy skin and nutty flavor.
- Joey
- Flower Type: B
- Season: August-October
- Origin: Mexican
- Fruit Size: Small-Medium (6-10 oz)
- Cold Hardiness: High (can handle 15-18°F for a short time once established)
- Outdoor Range: Zone 8-11
- Mature height of 25-30 feet (or up to 8ft in a container), dark purple-to-black skin and nutty flavor. This variety was founded in Uvalde, Texas by grower Joey Ricers.
- Poncho
- Flower Type: B
- Season: August-October
- Origin: Mexican
- Fruit Size: Small (6-8 oz)
- Cold Hardiness: High (can handle 20°F for a short time once established)
- Outdoor Range: Zone 8-11
- Mature height of 25-30 feet (or up to 8ft in a container), smooth, bright green skin and great flavor. Edible skin, like Brogdon.
- Brogdon
- Flower Type: B
- Season: July-September
- Origin: Mexican
- Fruit Size: Medium-Large (8-12 oz)
- Cold Hardiness: High (can handle 18-22°F for a short time once established)
- Outdoor Range: Zone 8-11
- Mature height of 30+ feet, smooth dark, black skin, that’s thin enough to be edible. Great flavor and amazing eaten straight from the tree or made into guacamole.
- Mexicola
- Flower Type: A
- Season: July-August
- Origin: Mexican
- Fruit Size: Small (4-7 oz)
- Cold Hardiness: High (20°F for short periods)
- Outdoor Range: Zone 8-11
- Mature height of 15-20 feet the fruit are incredibly small and have smooth black skin.
- Mexicola Grande
- Flower Type: A
- Season: July-August
- Origin: Mexican
- Fruit Size: Small-Medium (6-10 oz)
- Cold Hardiness: High (18°F for short periods)
- Outdoor Range: Zone
- Mature height of 30 feet the fruit are normally around 25% larger than Mexicola and have smooth, thin black skin and a delicious nutty flavor.
- Winter Mexican
- Flower Type:
- Season: November-December
- Origin: Mexican
- Fruit Size: Large (12-18 oz)
- Cold Hardiness: Medium (18-22°F for short periods)
- Outdoor Range: Zone 8-10
- Mature height of 40+ feet tall. This variety is known for being able to tolerant extreme cold and heat.
- Wurtz/Little Cado
- Flower Type: A
- Season: October-January
- Origin: Hybrid Guatamalan/Mexican
- Fruit Size: Small-Medium (6-10 oz)
- Cold Hardiness: Medium (28°F for short periods)
- Outdoor Range: Zone 9-10
- Mature height of 10-12 feet tall, with good size fruit considering its compact size. Rich and creamy flavor with lower oil content than other varieties, such as Hass. The fruit have thin, dark green skin.
Thanks so much for reading! We hope you decide to grow an Avocado tree in your home garden. Happy planting!
If you want to learn everything there is to know about Avocados check out the book The Avocado: botany, production and uses by B. Schaffer, B. N. Wolstenholme, and A.W. Whiley. You can also find more information on the University of Florida website.
If you need edible plants in the Central Florida please do stop by the nursery. We’d love to supply you with your edible plant needs. We also sell compost produced on our farm with food scraps diverted from the landfill by O-Town Compost as well as honey from our apiary.
If you need assistance with designing and installing your edible landscape project in the greater Orlando area please do ask us about our delivery and installation options as well. We’re a fully licensed and insured edible landscape contractor in the greater Orlando area.