If you grew up in Miami, you probably know the avocado that fills a whole hand, has smooth green skin and gets sliced onto a plate with a little salt and lime. That's a Florida avocado, and it's a different fruit from the small, dark, pebbly avocados at most supermarkets. Our avocados come mostly from West Indian types and West Indian hybrids, which love heat and humidity.
Choosing the right variety makes a big difference in when you harvest, how big the tree gets and how well it handles our weather. Here's what to know before you plant.
The three avocado "races," in plain English
Avocados fall into three broad groups:
- West Indian. Large fruit, smooth skin, lower oil, light and fresh flavor. Loves heat and humidity but is the most cold-tender. These do best in South Florida.
- Guatemalan. Often richer, with more oil, and somewhat more cold-tolerant than West Indian types.
- Mexican. Small fruit, the most cold-hardy of the three. Mexican-type hybrids are the ones to look at in Central and North Florida.
Many favorite Florida varieties are crosses between West Indian and Guatemalan types. That blend gives you big fruit with a richer taste and a harvest season that varies a lot from variety to variety.
Choquette: the big, reliable classic
Choquette is a Florida favorite and a hybrid of Guatemalan and West Indian types. It's known for very large, glossy green fruit with smooth, creamy, nutty flesh and a later-season harvest that helps fill the gap after many summer varieties are done. It's a vigorous grower, so give it room in full sun. If you only have space for one avocado tree in a Miami yard, Choquette is a solid place to start. You'll find it here: grafted Choquette avocado.
Catalina: a Cuban favorite
Catalina is a West Indian type with roots in Cuba and a loyal following in Miami. It produces large, smooth green fruit with creamy flesh and a mild, slightly sweet, buttery flavor. As a West Indian type, it's best suited to the warmest parts of South Florida. Pick one up here: grafted Catalina avocado.
Other Florida varieties you'll hear about
Florida growers have many named avocados, each with its own season. Varieties such as Donnie, Simmonds, Miguel, Monroe, Hall and Lula come up often in South Florida, and Mexican-type hybrids such as Brogdon are popular farther north because of their cold tolerance. Planting two or three varieties with different seasons is the classic way to stretch your harvest across more of the year.
Do you need two trees for pollination?
Avocado flowers open in two patterns, called A and B types, which open as female and male at different times of day. Planting an A and a B near each other can improve pollination. In South Florida, though, single trees usually fruit fine, because flower timing overlaps and bees visit neighbors' trees too. A second tree is a bonus, not a requirement.
When is a Florida avocado ready?
Avocados don't ripen on the tree. They mature on the branch, then soften after you pick them. Most Florida varieties stay green when ripe, so color isn't much help. Instead, go by the variety's normal season and the fruit's full size. Pick one, leave it on the counter, and if it softens evenly in several days without shriveling, the rest are ready. If it shrivels or turns rubbery, wait and try again in a week or two.
Plant it high and dry
Avocados are very sensitive to poorly drained soil. Standing water invites Phytophthora root rot, one of the most common reasons backyard avocados decline. Choose the highest, best-drained spot in your yard, or plant on a broad mound in low areas. Give the tree full sun and protect young trees from strong wind.
New to planting a grafted tree? The steps in our guide to planting a grafted mango apply to avocados too: set it at the same depth it grew in the pot, keep the graft union above the soil and mulch without piling it on the trunk.
Watch for laurel wilt
Laurel wilt is a serious disease of avocados in Florida, spread by a tiny ambrosia beetle. Keeping trees healthy and well-watered helps, but the most important thing is knowing the early signs so you can act fast. Read our guide to laurel wilt signs and what to do before you plant.
Growing avocados outside South Florida?
West Indian avocados like Catalina are cold-tender. In Central and North Florida, look for Mexican-type hybrids bred for cold tolerance, plant on the warm side of the house and protect young trees on freezing nights. Our guide to cold-hardy fruit trees for Florida freezes covers the basics.
Start your avocado orchard
I'm Tony, a botanist and arborist, and I run Giardino Fresco with my family in Miami. Every avocado we sell is grafted, so you get the exact variety on the label and fruit years sooner than a seedling.
Ready to plant? Shop our grafted avocado trees, or ask us about pairing one with a grafted mango. Already have an avocado that looks off? Book a Sick Tree Diagnosis Visit anywhere in Miami-Dade and call or text 786-774-2125 to schedule.
