Botanical Name: Persea americana
Common Name: Avocado
Type of Plant: dicot: tree
Character evergreen
 
Habit of Growth:
Overall Shape a mostly erect, single-trunk, wide-spreading tree, with vigorous growth to produce a large dense oval-rounded canopy; bark is gray, rough, wood brittle; young stems are green
Height 25-40' (60')
Spread 2/3 to equal
Growth Rate rapid
 
Environment:
Exposure outdoors full sun preferred (for best fruit production)
Soil well draining loam (decomposed granite soils are best)
Hardiness tender (zones 19, 21, 23, 24); requires mild coastal habitats
 
Morphology:
Leaves pinnate, alternate, elliptic-oval or oblong; 4-10" (12") long, dark green and glossy above, paler beneath;slightly aromatic when crushed
Flowers greenish, small, in terminal compact panicles, Feb.-June
Fruit a drupe: large, fleshy, pear-shaped or oval, 4-6" long
 
Propagation:
seed
 
Usage:
mostly as a fruit tree; as an ornamental, is best used as a large shade tree; hard to grow other plant materials under the canopy because of the dense shade and messy drop of leaves
 
Landscape Care:
Watering regular, especially in summer; not drought tolerant tree (can survive severe water stress but looks very unthrifty)
Fertilizing balanced; in early spring, mid summer and fall
Pruning for fruit production, very little needed; thin out; head
Pests/Diseases Phytophthora root rot (avocado root rot)
Special Conditions/Other
 
Origin: Central America/Mexico
Family: Lauraceae

Notes:
 
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