Avocado, Persea Americana, is an evergreen, tropical or almost tropical, fruit bearing tree known also as Butter Pear and in the past as Alligator Pear. It is most probably a native of Southern Mexico. The avocado tree might be an upright, usually 9 meters tall and sometimes to 18 or more meters, with a trunk 30-50 cm in diameter or it could be short and spreading with branches starting out close to the ground.


Persea Americana leaves are alternate, dark-green and shiny on the upper surface, whitish on the underside; varying in shape from anceolate, elliptic, oval, and ovate to obovate, 7-40 cm long. Those of the Mexican race are strongly anise-scented. Leaves may drop-off briefly in dry times during flowering.

Flowers are small, pale-green or yellow-green and lack petals. They are borne abundantly in racemes near the branch tips. Many isolated avocado trees fail to fruit from lack of pollination hence every grower must be sure to include compatible pollinators in his grove or garden.

The Avocado fruit is pear-shaped, oval, or nearly round, 8-30 cm long and up to 15 cm wide. The skin may be yellowish green, deep-green, very dark-green, reddish-purple, or dark purple as to look black. It might be smooth or pebbled, shiny or dull, thin or leathery and up to 6 mm thick, flexible or granular and brittle.

Avocado Fruit

In some Avocado fruits, directly beneath the skin there is a thin layer of soft, bright-green flesh, but commonly the flesh is altogether pale to rich-yellow, butter-like and nutty in flavor. The single seed is rounded, conical or ovoid in shape, sticking to the flesh cavity but slips out readily. It is 5-7 cm long, hard and heavy, bony in color. Oil extracted from the flesh is rich in vitamins A, B, C and E and has superior keeping quality.

Avocados need high atmospheric humidity particularly during flowering and fruit setting time. Temperatures as low as -1ºC do little harm but the plant needs protection from strong winds and wind-breaks are essential. Wind reduces humidity, dries up the flowers and interferes with pollination which results in a lot of fruits to fall prematurely.

The avocado tree is remarkably versatile as to soil adaptability, doing well on various types of soil. However the tree’s main requirement is good drainage. It can’t stand unreasonable soil moisture or even temporary water-logging.

Avocado Propagation Methods

Tree propagation is by seed but seeds lose viability within a month. Persea Americana is a member of the family Lauraceae the genus Persea. Seedlings will begin to bear fruit in 4 or 5 years and the Avocado tree will continue to bear fruit for 50 years or more. Some trees have been labeled to be more than 100 years old and continue to be productive.

While numerous significant selections have arose from seeds, vegetative propagation is crucial to early fruiting and the perpetuation of suitable cultivars. Avocados have no major insect enemies.

Avocado, Persea Americana

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