Cold Hardy Avocados

[_Keith]

Two years ago I got two 'Wilma' avocados out of Fanick’s Garden Center in San Antonio.  They specialize in cold hardy avocado with plants descended from 89 freeze survivors in that area.  I have to say these Wilma seem bullet proof.  They laugh at frost and freezes.   They were flowering in the pots when I got them even though they were only a couple of feet high.   After 1 year in the ground, planted out in the open, they flowered again, and even set one fruit each.  I can't wait to see what they are going to do this year as they look great.  They have at least 2 other varieties as well, and I know of others like the Gainsville variety discussed in another thread.

So, is anyone else experimenting with cold hardy Avocados?  Share the knowledge, please.

[MattyB]

I was just reading abou Avocados the other day.  The Mexican varieties are hardier and generally put out smaller fruits, the Gutamalan varieties are more sensitive.

[tank]

don't know how accurate this is but min temps are listed under the "Cultivars" section.

http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/avocado.html

[tank]

"Mexicola Grande" variety sounds like a good one to try.

[tank]

Since I'm at home sick and have nothing better to do...

The internet brings us full circle....

http://www.agriseek.com/market/p/Avocado-T...Gainesville.htm

It gets pretty cold in Quincy.

[_Keith]

My Avocado 'Wilma' have begun to flower today.

Anyone else with news to report on the hardy Avocado front?

[bubba]

Growing Avocados in Quincy, Florida! Wow! Someone needs to contact Nigel about the Avocado growing in London. A little cross-pollination between the Quincy and London variety and we may have a new staple crop for Soutern Ireland!

[ghar41]

I have a "Stewart," thats been very cold hardy.  It was doing great until my neighbors bamboo strangled it last summer.  It's in a recovery mode now, and I think itll be alright.

Produces great, high fat content, black skinned avocado's...good for guacamole.

[_Keith]

My Wilma variety Avocado are filled with flowers right now.  I will eat a home grown Avocado for sure this year.  Yaho!!!

I'll put up a picture tomorrow.

[Alicehunter2000]

Cool Keith, I'm looking forward to putting some cold hardy Texas avocado's and and Gainesville variety in the ground this spring. If you get fruit, that means seed We might have to do some trading in a couple of years if mine start producing. BTW did you plant two trees? Did you plant them in the same hole? I've heard this might be beneficial for fruit production. How bout' some pics

Did the Butia seeds I sent you sprout?

[_Keith]

(Alicehunter2000 @ Feb. 17 2008,23:17)

QUOTE

Cool Keith, I'm looking forward to putting some cold hardy Texas avocado's and and Gainesville variety in the ground this spring. If you get fruit, that means seed We might have to do some trading in a couple of years if mine start producing. BTW did you plant two trees? Did you plant them in the same hole? I've heard this might be beneficial for fruit production. How bout' some pics

Did the Butia seeds I sent you sprout?

I do have 2 trees, but not in the same hole.  They are planted about 10 feet apart.  If I get seeds, I am happy to share at no cost.

No germinations yet, but greenhouse has not been rebuilt yet, so conditions are less than optimal (cool)

[Roaringwater]

Avocados actually grow very well In London- it's been more than 15 years since there was a frost of more than -5c (22f) in inner London, and summers are a bit warmer than elsewhere in the UK and Ireland.  Here are a couple of pics of an Avocado tree growing in south-east London.  I spoke to the owners once- they had grown it from seed, and were startled by it's rate of growth, and very worried about their foundations.  They had it removed by a tree surgeon not long after I took these photos.  I'm not sure if it ever fruited, but recently there have been reports of a fruiting tree in west London.  Can anyone tell if this tree looks more like a Mexican, or a West Indian type?  The owners were West Indian.