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Avocado

Persea americana

Avocado is a fruit in the Lauraceae family. It grows best in full sun with medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 9-11.

Varieties

1 · sorted by days to maturity
  • Avocado

    PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Tree fruit (grafted) (not currently in seed catalog). Use: Fresh. Note: Flowers are 'A' or 'B' type; planting both improves set. Cold-hardy (Mexican) cultivars survive to zone 8.

    Avocado (Persea americana) is a large evergreen tree grown from grafted stock for reliable fruit. Hardy zones 9-11, with cold-hardy Mexican-race cultivars to zone 8. Often grown in containers elsewhere.

    Growing notes: Botanical name: Persea americana|Hardiness zones: 9-11|Propagation: grafting|Sun needs: Full sun|Water needs: Medium|Mature height: 15-30 feet

Family
Lauraceae
Category
Fruit
Form
Shrub
Lifecycle
perennial
Zone
9-11
Height
15–30 ft
Spread
15–25 ft
Sun
Full sun
Water
Medium

Plan your avocado planting

Add avocado to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.

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At a glance

Frost tolerance
Semi-hardy · to ~28°F
Lowest temperature the foliage usually survives

Storing & preserving

Refrigerate ripe fruit; ripen firm fruit at room temperature.

  • Freeze: Freezes well raw; spread on a tray first so pieces stay loose.
  • Preserve: Make jam or water-bath can high-acid fruit.
  • Dry: Dehydrate or air-dry, then store airtight away from light.

General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Growing timeline

Propagation
Grafting
Schedule anchor
Last Frost

Care & troubleshooting

No curated care & troubleshooting advice for avocado yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.