Avocado Q & A

A: Avocados can safely be grown outdoors in USDA zones 8 – 11. There are a few varieties that seem to be quite cold hardy, even handling temperatures as low as 15° F for a short time with no damage to the tree, but the short answer is no. Zone 6 has temperatures that stay too cold for too long for an avocado tree to survive. See the next question for options.

A: Most avocado trees grow quite large and would not easily fit in a greenhouse; however, they would be right at home in a larger tropical conservatory. Even one of the larger varieties could be kept to a manageable height there. For your greenhouse you may consider one of the dwarf varieties. Both Utuado and Wurtz are dwarf trees that have a slower growing habit and can be kept in a greenhouse or grown in large pots outside during warm weather and brought inside during the winter.

A: Avocados grown from seed do not always come true, meaning being the same as the avocado that produced the seed being planted. Also, avocados grown from seed will take upwards of 8 years to flower and bear fruit unless grown by Ed Jones and his witchcraft. I don’t know how he does it. He grows the most beautiful trees from seed and they all seem to flower within two years! We recommend a grafted variety, where a scion, or branch tip, of a known cultivar is grafted to good rootstock. These trees will usually flower and bear fruit within a couple of years of being planted in the ground.

A: That is a great question. While pollinators definitely increase the chances of success, avocado trees are classified as self pollinating and can pollinate with just some air flow.

A: While a single avocado tree will normally produce enough fruit for most people, it never hurts to have more than one tree and even more than one variety to increase the chances for good pollination. Be sure to look at our catalog for the many different varieties available from TopTropicals.com

A: If you love avocados, and who doesn’t, you know that the price of them has more than doubled in the past few years. Avocados are a pretty hardy tree and easy to grow. If you buy a grafted avocado tree, it can start producing a few avocados in just a year or two. A mature tree can produce 100’s of avocados. That is a lot of guacamole!

A: Because it will allow you to harvest your fruit much sooner than if you planted a seed. Also, if you plant a seed from an avocado, there is no guarantee that the tree that grows from it will be anything like the tree it came from. A grafted tree is a tree that is made by taking a cutting from a known variety that is already fruiting and joining (grafting) it to another tree called the rootstock. The grafted tree will then produce fruit in just a year or two. If planted from seed, avocados can take 8 years or more before they will set fruit.

A: There are many varieties of avocado tree that grow well in Florida. The Hass is one of our most popular, but it does not do well in areas that get too cold. It is quite sensitive to temperatures below 30 °. If you are in a coastal area, this tree may do well for you.

A: Brazos Belle, Fantastic, Joey, Lila (Opal) and Poncho have all been known to survive temperatures as low as 15 ° for a short time. Keep in mind that this is for trees that are mature. Trees less than 4 or 5 years old will still need to be protected. These trees can grow in zone 8 if they are protected for a few years.

A: Anise, Bacon, Brogdon, Day, Del Rio (Pryor), Fuerte, Marcus Pumpkin, May, Mexicola Grande and Ulala are also quite cold hardy. Again, keep in mind that they will still need protection from cold until they reach a mature size.

A: Yes. The Wurtz avocado is the only true dwarf tree. It is perfect for that smaller area and is even called the Little Cado. It has both A and B type flowers for better pollination. Other varieties such as the Fuerte can be kept smaller with pruning.

A: We ship avocado trees across the nation. They are carefully packaged and shipped to you using the most efficient method. You may also shop at our garden center here in Fort Myers and take your new avocado tree home with you. You will get to see all the trees and pick the one that suits you best.

A: You can make arrangements to have your tree delivered and even planted if you are in the local area. See one of our customer service associates for scheduling a time an estimate of the cost.

A: Our favorite fresh delicacy Avos are: Fantastic, Ulala (Super Hass), Brogdon, Bacon, Florida Hass.

A: Thomson Red (huge purple fruit, looks like an egg plant!), Marcus Pumpkin (big and round), Fuerte (semi-dwarf, fits every yard), Anise (anise-smelling leaves).

A: Brazos Belle, Day, Fantastic, Joey, Lila.

A: Our best sellers that every gardener wants are: Wurtz (dwarf), Winter Mexican, Mexicola, Oro Negro, Ulala.

A: Black Prince, Catalina, Choquette, Lula, Monroe, Tonnage, Simmonds, Waldin

A: To be on the safe side, stay with “Condo” varieties if you don't know the details of the future environment for the tree. “Condo” avocados can be grown both in containers or in the ground and are easy to take care of. Wurtz, Fuerte, Joey.

A: Avocado takes several years from a seedling to produce fruit. As with most seedlings, the fruit quality will be a surprise. For faster production and tasty fruit, you need a grafted variety, it will be flowering and producing right away.