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Noahsnana
05-27-2011, 08:35 PM
Can't remember if we had discussed this but knowing we have some avocado growers here let me ask...

Can I grow a avocado tree from a store bought seed? Is it true to parent?

I love guacamole and make it lots, I feel guilty throwing the seeds away

Koidaddy
05-27-2011, 08:42 PM
I have a tree growing in my kitchen, it's from The Dominican Republic... one of those huge varieties!

Noahsnana
05-27-2011, 09:09 PM
I have a tree growing in my kitchen, it's from The Dominican Republic... one of those huge varieties!

Did you grow it from seed and is it true to parent?

avorancher
05-27-2011, 09:36 PM
With a headline like that, you knew I would post. :-)

Yes, you can easily start a plant from the seed of a store-bought avocado (3 toothpicks and a glass of water technique). But no, they are not true to seed and may never bear fruit if started from seed making it risky. All commercial Hass trees are cloned then grafted onto various disease-resistent rootstocks.

Hass variety, which is the most common type you find in a supermarket (black when ripe), are large (50-60 foot), shallow rooted, rather messy evergreen subtropical trees. Avocado trees are attractive with shiny/oily leaves and you can keep them in a pot for 4 or 5 years before they start to suffer from root crowding. Very low salt tolerance.

Unlike other fruit trees, it takes 12 to 18 months from pollenation to maturity on the tree. The leaf tips burn at temps over 100F and get frost damage when under 32F. Tree dies at about 25F. There are some other varieties (usually green skinned when ripe) that are a little more temperature tolerant, but still considered subtropical. I think are also some dwarf rootstocks that people could use in a greenhouse situation also.

Noahsnana
05-27-2011, 09:41 PM
lol yes I was hoping you would jump in...

I never imagined they would grow to 50-60 ft tall wow

I guess I better look at a hardy dwarf species

avorancher
05-27-2011, 09:58 PM
Http//avocado.org has a lot of good info and good description of how to grow your own tree as well as a variety list. Come visit me next week, we have a partial harvest planned that should net about 100,000 avocados. Now that is some serious guacamole.

Noahsnana
05-28-2011, 12:24 AM
:cool3: thanks

gander
05-28-2011, 12:31 AM
I like quacamole too.My sister tried to give me a seed the other day I refused because I had grown them before and dont have the room for them in the house. Dont know what I am going to do with my lime tree this fall.

BarbJ
05-28-2011, 01:53 AM
Like Steve says, they don't come true from seed. And even if you wanted to wait the 5 to 10 years it may take for your pit to produce, it may end up being stringy and bad tasting. They do make nice house plants though.

Grafted varieties in addition to being delicious, also bear fruit younger and the rootstock are often selected for root rot resistance, which can be a problem with avocado.
There are some dwarf varieties that get about 12 to 18 feet tall and produce enough for an average family.
Some are "Gwen", "Wurtz", also called"Little Cado", "Whitsell" and a newer one called "Holiday". Gwen and Wurtz are pretty easy to find.