With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to celebrate with everyone’s favorite green dip: guacamole! And while the popular Hass avocado often takes center stage, Florida offers a native, tropical alternative that brings a unique twist to your fiesta spread – and can even be grown in your own backyard.
Florida avocados, often larger than their Hass counterparts, have a lower fat content, making them a lighter yet equally delicious option. Beyond their appealing texture and taste, they pack a nutritional punch, containing 60% more potassium than bananas. This makes them a truly lean, green star for any healthy celebration.
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The history of avocados in Florida runs deep, with trees thriving in the state since 1833. Today, Florida proudly holds the No. 2 spot in the nation for avocado production. For those interested in learning more about this versatile fruit, or even trying their hand at growing it, resources are available.
Jeff Wasielewski, a commercial tropical fruit agent with UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, offers valuable insights through webinars accessible to both growers and the general public.
For Floridians inspired to cultivate their own avocado supply, here’s a breakdown of the science and tips for successful home growing, courtesy of expert advice:
Florida vs. Hass: What’s the Difference?
Florida avocados are usally three times larger than the Hass avocados and they have less fat. The most important characteristic of our avocados versus the Hass is that we can grow them in our backyards. The Hass cannot be successfully grown in Florida.
Where Can You Grow Florida Avocados?
As winters in Florida become warmer, there is more and more interest in growing avocados farther up the state than in South Florida, where they grow in abundance. I spoke to a group from Polk County and some of them were growing avocados that have fruited in the past, so it is possible to grow some of the sub-tropical fruits like avocados and mangos farther up the state, but one must always remember that it only takes one freeze to do severe damage, or even cause death, to your avocado tree.
Those thinking of growing avocados commercially in cooler areas need to be prepared with a cold protection scheme to make sure the trees are not damaged beyond repair.
If you are thinking of growing avocados in a container, I would advise against it. If you ever have a chance to grow a fruit tree in the ground, over a container, plant it in the ground. Avocados are just too large to be contained to a container.
Top Varieties for Home Growers: There is a wide variety of Florida avocados that can be grown in the home landscape, but some real winners are Donnie, Simmonds, Monroe, Choquette, Miguel and Russell.
Growing from Seed: A Fun Project, But Not for Fruiting
You can absolutely grow an avocado from seed, and it makes a great science project. Unfortunately, it does not make a good tree for growing in your yard. Seedling trees have two strikes against them. They are not the same as the parent plant. Let’s say you plant a seed from a Monroe fruit. Well , the mother was a Monroe, but whoever pollinated the Monroe was surely another cultivar. So, you don’t get a Monroe.
You get something else, which could be good, but is more likely to not be great. The second strike is that trees grown from seed take five to 10 years to reach sexual maturity. The Monroe would have been grafted, a type of asexual propagation that clones the parent plant and also lets you start out with a mature plant. Plants from seeds are not mature, so you will have to wait many years for your fruit.
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Providing Adequate Space and Sunlight:
You should give your trees plenty of space. I would say 15 by 15 feet at the minimum. Also, make sure the tree gets as much sunlight as possible. Don’t plant them near the north side of your house as this area will get the most shade.
Watering Your Young Tree:
This answer is not a one-size fits-all, as the amount and timing of the watering changes based on the time of year and the drainage of the soil. The key is to make sure the tree gets enough water that it does not wilt. If you see your tree wilting, make sure it gets watered right away.
I would employ the finger test; that is, you put your finger in the soil around the tree. If it is wet, you don’t need to water. If it is dry, you should water. You should also try to time the planting of your new tree to when the rainy seaon starts. In South Florida, that happens right around the end of May. If you plant then, Mother Nature will give you a big boost as far as helping to water your new plant.
Lifespan and Fruiting Time:
Avocado trees can live a very long time, and we have some at the Tropical Research and Education Center that are at least 80 years old. If your tree is grafted and not from seed, you can expect fruit as soon as the tree is large enough to hold fruit, which is usually in year three.
Top Tips for Success:
- Protect from mechanical damage: Keep weeds and grass away from the base of the tree to prevent injury from string trimmers.
- Avoid over-care: Over-watering and over-fertilizing can be more detrimental than slightly under-caring for the tree.
- Prune for accessibility: Prune your tree annually after the last fruit is harvested to maintain a manageable height for easy fruit picking.
Hurricane Hardiness:
If you get a category 4 or 5 hurricane, all bets are off, but avocados are a relatively strong wood and by keeping them pruned, you have a pretty good chance of survival.
Addressing Pests and Diseases:
If we are going to talk about avocados, we need to mention a fatal disease called laurel wilt. This is a fungus carried from tree to tree by a tiny ambrosia beetle. The fungus is deposited into the portion of the tree that moves water to the leaves.
This area becomes blocked and causes the tree to rapidly wilt and die. Although there is no silver bullet for laurel wilt, we have studies that show that opening up the tree to light through pruning significantly cuts down the number of beetles in that area. The beetles do not like too much sunlight.
With Cinco de Mayo approaching, consider exploring the world of Florida avocados – whether you’re enjoying them in your favorite dish or taking the first steps toward growing your own taste of the tropics.
Lourdes Mederos-UF/IFAS contrubuted to this article.
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