Persea Americana Avocado

[DAVEinMB]

Just picked one of these up and plan on trialing it here in my zone 8b garden. I've seen a number of different hardiness ratings for these, anybody have an idea of what kind of cold they can actually tolerate? 

Thanks, Dave

[Xenon]

Mid-high teens but plants are almost always grafted on non-cold hardy rootstock (usually 'Lula') so there's real danger of the rootstock freezing in the mid 20s even if the top part is hardy. General consensus is that it does NOT taste fantastic whatsoever, "grass" is a common descriptor. I don't know why people bother with cold hardy avocados...none of them will taste better than Hass at the grocery store. 

[WaianaeCrider]

Kinda close to the house for an avocado tree.  They can get huge.

[DAVEinMB]

3 hours ago, Xenon said:

Mid-high teens but plants are almost always grafted on non-cold hardy rootstock (usually 'Lula') so there's real danger of the rootstock freezing in the mid 20s even if the top part is hardy. General consensus is that it does NOT taste fantastic whatsoever, "grass" is a common descriptor. I don't know why people bother with cold hardy avocados...none of them will taste better than Hass at the grocery store. 

I didn't even think of the root stick being something less hardy. Hell I have some citrumelo I can use as root stock for this down the road. 

Yea I'm not necessarily growing them to eat, just thought it would be a nice addition to the landscaping. I may take fire for that comment but it is what it is

[DAVEinMB]

24 minutes ago, WaianaeCrider said:

Kinda close to the house for an avocado tree.  They can get huge.

Yea it is close, I figure I can direct where I want it to go it via pruning

[Silas_Sancona]

3 hours ago, DAVEinMB said:

Just picked one of these up and plan on trialing it here in my zone 8b garden. I've seen a number of different hardiness ratings for these, anybody have an idea of what kind of cold they can actually tolerate? 

Thanks, Dave

 By far, the best info regarding Avocadoes can be found via the California Avocado Growers Association / society / CA. rare Fruit Society.. 
 
Be aware, unless grafted w/ both,  you will need a pollinator to get fruit reliably. . Avocadoes are generally classed as " A" or B" type flower -ers..  meaning each time the flowers open, they are a different sex. " Wurtz ", the only true dwarf Avo., supposedly produces both A and B type flowers. Not sure about this one though.

2 hours ago, Xenon said:

Mid-high teens but plants are almost always grafted on non-cold hardy rootstock (usually 'Lula') so there's real danger of the rootstock freezing in the mid 20s even if the top part is hardy. General consensus is that it does NOT taste fantastic whatsoever, "grass" is a common descriptor. I don't know why people bother with cold hardy avocados...none of them will taste better than Hass at the grocery store. 

Not necessarily true.. There are a few hardier cultivars that produce pretty good fruit..  Almost any Avocado will taste better off a tree than those from a supermarket produce isle.

 

[bubba]

I have seen a large trunking avocado, which produces avocados, in pictures on this forum in Charleston, South Carolina. I believe you have a definite shot with some of the extremely temperature resistant varieties. Not sure how they taste…

[DAVEinMB]

2 hours ago, bubba said:

I have seen a large trunking avocado, which produces avocados, in pictures on this forum in Charleston, South Carolina. I believe you have a definite shot with some of the extremely temperature resistant varieties. Not sure how they taste…

I guess let's keep the fingers crossed on this roll of the dice purchase. It's in a pretty protected cove so maybe I'll luck out for a bit if it happens to not be all that hardy

[DAVEinMB]

16 hours ago, DAVEinMB said:

Hell I have some citrumelo I can use as root stock for this down the road. 

Scratch that, I see this won't work. Once the tree grows a bit ill take some clippings and propagate from them to have a few backups

[Alan_Tampa]

Man, just plant it and see what happens. I have a yard full of stuff that according to many, should be dead sticks. Also, planted too close to house, too close together,  whatever. Just grow it. 

[DAVEinMB]

1 minute ago, Alan_Tampa said:

Man, just plant it and see what happens. I have a yard full of stuff that according to many, should be dead sticks. Also, planted too close to house, too close together,  whatever. Just grow it. 

I like this attitude

[Alan_Tampa]

It took me 16 years to fruit jackfruit in Tampa. Almost 20 for Inga. Had I headed sanity, I'd not have not done either.  

[dalmatiansoap]

Any of you guys know where to get scions of hardy varieties? Europe source would be ideal. Mexicola grande would be a Holy Grail....

[Silas_Sancona]

35 minutes ago, dalmatiansoap said:

Any of you guys know where to get scions of hardy varieties? Europe source would be ideal. Mexicola grande would be a Holy Grail....

You might hop on ..and pose the inquiry...  over on the International Tropical Fruit Forum.. 

Have no doubt there are members there in Europe who are growing Avos.  inc. the variety mentioned.. If not, there may be folks outside the U.S. who are able to legally ship scions there. 

 

[dalmatiansoap]

8 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

You might hop on ..and pose the inquiry...  over on the International Tropical Fruit Forum.. 
 

Thanks, would you share a link to it?

[Silas_Sancona]

5 minutes ago, dalmatiansoap said:

Thanks, would you share a link to it?

https://tropicalfruitforum.com/

[BeyondTheGarden]

Persea?  That's interesting.  I didn't know that Avacado and Bay trees shared the same genus.