Avocados - Florida or Haas...

[Mookie]

I am sure that there are a million more kinds, but my store only had 2 kinds.
I tried my first Florida avocado today... wow, it is pretty good.
It actually tasted a little sweet. I bet it would be good in the puddings and pies, etc. I think I 'll try to make some with one.

I still think I like the Hass variety better though. I like savory... not to much of a sweet tooth, more of a fat tooth. ;)

[madmel]

you guys are so lucky, different types of avos!

I am so happy that I get them here at all ;)

How many varieties are there, do you know?

mel

[RawChicky]

you guys are so lucky, different types of avos!

I am so happy that I get them here at all ;)

How many varieties are there, do you know?

mel

I've also seen Reed avocados and Bacon avocados

[Lucinda]

Florida is better.

[Doe]

madmel,
Here ya go: www.tropicalfruitnursery.com (http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/). These are some of the ones that grow in FL. Further south than me unfortunately. Once every year or two we go down that way and hubby teases me by pointing out every fruit laden tree we pass. He knows I'd be perfectly content living in a tent amid avocado trees. Especially if there was a watermelon field next door.

Teri S

[Jordann]

there are so many! I've only even tried maybe 3 or 4 different ones, my favourites are definitely the Sharwils from Hawaii. I can only get them for a couple weeks in January where I live, but they are wonderful.

This'll give you an idea of just how many there are, simply in the USA

California varieties:

ANAHEIM: (A) - large to very large - green - June to August - fair flavor - hardy to 32°F.

BACON: oval-shaped - smooth green skin - watery mild-flavored - November to March - heavy producer.

FUERTE: (B) pear-shaped - smooth green skin - mild flavor - November to June - erratic producer - hardy to 28°F.

HASS: (A) oval-shaped - thick bumpy skin emerald green to black - April to October - rich nutty flavor - alternate bearing - hardy to 28°F.

JIM: (B) small to medium - smooth green skin - very good flavor - September to January - heavy producer - hardy to 24°F.

MEXICOLA: (A) small - purple skin - very good nutty flavor - August to October - heavy producer - hardy to 18°F.

NABAL: (B) medium - green skin - excellent flavor - June to October - erratic heavy producer - hardy to 30°F.

PINKERTON: (A) small to medium - green - good flavor - December to April. - heavy producer - hardy to 30°F.

REED: (A) medium to large - green - June to November -excellent flavor - hardy to 30°F.

ZUTANO: (B) pear -shaped - smooth green skin - watery mild-flavored - October to March - heavy producer - hardy to 26°F.

The (A) and (B) refer to flower type,
see page 6.

Dwarf California varieties:

GWEN: (A) similar to Hass, but smaller - Pebbly, thick green skin - excellent flavor - late winter through late summer. - darkens when mature - hardy to 30°F.

LITTLE CADO: (?) small - green May to September - good flavor - light producer - hardy to 32°F.

WHITSELL: (B) small - green March to July - excellent flavor - alternate heavy producer - hardy to 30°F.

Texas:

In the lower Rio Grande Valley, the commercial variety is LULA. LULA’S tolerance to existing soil salinity make it’s seedlings the preferred rootstock for all avocados in South Texas.

LULA: medium to large - green - thick peel - good flavor - November to February - a commercial variety - hardy to 25°F.


There is confusion in the usage of "ripe" in regards to avocados. An avocado is "mature" when it develops a certain oil content (different with each variety). Once the oil content is developed, a harvested avocado will ripen (soften) to a firm butter consistency. At this point, the firm butter consistency, the avocado it at its palatable best. An avocado harvested before its proper oil content is developed will start to decompose into a brown gray unpalatable tasteless mass.

Florida varieties:

BOOTH 7: - medium to large - green - good flavor - October to December.

BROGDIN: Small to medium - green - very good flavor - November to February. - hardy to 22°F.

CHOQUETTE: Large to very large - green - good flavor - November to January - heavy producer - resists scab disease - hardy to 28°F.

GAINSVILLE: small - green - July to August - hardy to 18°F.

HALL: Large to very large - green - good flavor - November to January - heavy producer - hardy to 28°F.

LULA: medium to large - green - thick peel - good flavor - November to February - a commercial variety - hardy to 25°F.

MEXICOLA: (A) small - purple skin - very good nutty flavor - August to October - heavy producer - hardy to 18°F.

MONROE: large - green - good flavor - November to January - hardy to26°F.

POLLOCK: large to very large - green - very good flavor - July to September -
light producer - resists scab disease - hardy to 62°F.

SIMMONSA: large to very large - green - very good flavor - July to September - heavy producer - resists scab disease - hardy to 62°F.

TONNAGE: medium to large - green - good flavor - September to October - hardy to 25°F.

WALDIN: medium - green - very good flavor - September to October - resists scab disease - hardy to 32°F.

Hawaii varieties:

BEARDSLEY: large - green fruit - good flavor - winter - productive.

CASE: medium to very large - green - very good flavor - winter - good producer.

CHANG: medium to large - green - very food flavor - spring - heavy producer.

FROWE: medium to large - purple - very good flavor - late fall - good producer.

GREENGOLD: medium to large - green - excellent flavor - winter to spring - heavy producer.

HAYES: medium to large - purple - very good flavor - fall to winter light producer - susceptible to mites.

KAHALUU: medium to large - green - excellent flavor - winter to spring - good producer - susceptible to thrips and mites.

MASAMI: medium - purple, very good flavor - winter to spring - good producer.

MURASHIGE: medium to very large - green - excellent flavor - spring top summer - alternate heavy producer.

NISHIKAWA: medium to very large - green - very good flavor - winter to spring - good producer.

OHATA: large to very large - purple - very good flavor - spring to summer - light producer.

SHARWIL: small to medium - green - excellent flavor - winter to spring - alternate heavy producer.

(this was from http://www.seedtosupper.com/avocados.html)

[RawChicky]

woah!!!! that's a lot

[berrymarymac]

Whoa, only thought there were Hass and Florida. WOW!!

[Jordann]

I'm into Horticulture... :p

[Mookie]

I am on a mission now to find more varieties.... I think Hass is probably the most common.

The one I got today just said Florida-- it did not say anything else, so I do not know which Florida varitey I had. It was much bigger than the Hass...

[mcasburn]

I just finished eating a Reed - they're round with smooth green skin, and closer to Florida than Haas in flavor. Very large pits, so there's a little less meat in there than you'd expect based on the ratio in a Haas.

[Graciebeliever]

madmel,
Here ya go: www.tropicalfruitnursery.com (http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/). These are some of the ones that grow in FL. Further south than me unfortunately. Once every year or two we go down that way and hubby teases me by pointing out every fruit laden tree we pass. He knows I'd be perfectly content living in a tent amid avocado trees. Especially if there was a watermelon field next door.

Teri S

OH DOE that is an awesome site thank you :)

[spicyfull]

CALIFORNIA...........HASS