Persea - Plant Encyclopedia Results

Persea americana, the avocado, is an evergreen fruit tree native to southern Mexico and Central America, cultivated for thousands of years and now grown throughout tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Belonging to the laurel family, it develops into a medium to large tree with a dense canopy of glossy green leaves, reaching 20 to 60 feet depending on climate and rootstock, and remaining productive for decades.
Fruits vary widely in size, shape, skin texture, and color - from smooth green to rough dark-purple - depending on the cultivar. The flesh is rich in healthy oils and prized for its smooth buttery texture. The species is also notable for its unusual flowering biology, with flowers opening in two phases that promote cross-pollination between complementary types.
Cultivars derived from Mexican, Guatemalan, and West Indian genetic backgrounds show considerable variation in fruit quality, harvest season, and cold tolerance. The hardiest Mexican-type selections may survive temperatures near 20F when mature, while many West Indian types sustain damage below 30F. Avocado grows best in full sun with well-drained soil and regular moisture; it is sensitive to prolonged waterlogging. Generally suited to USDA Zones 9b-11. See more about avocado:
Avocado varieties chart.
Avocado variety guide: Snack or Guacamole?
Growing avocadoes in Florida
The Magic of the Avocado

Persea americana 'Day', commonly known as Day avocado, is a cold-hardy selection of the traditional avocado native to Central America. This evergreen fruit tree features a relatively compact, upright growth habit, typically reaching 10 to 15 feet in height in a garden setting, making it suitable for smaller spaces and container cultivation. The plant produces dense, dark green foliage and bears medium-sized, green, club-shaped fruits with smooth skin. The high-quality flesh is rich, buttery, and fiberless, making it highly valued by residential growers for its productive potential and visual appeal.

This fruiting tree requires full sun exposure and rich, loose, exceptionally well-drained soil to thrive. Provide regular watering during the active growing season, and apply a balanced tropical fruit fertilizer from early spring through late summer to encourage optimal flowering and fruit set. This cultivar is notable for its exceptional cold tolerance, withstanding brief temperature drops down to 22 degrees Fahrenheit without significant damage, though winter protection is necessary in USDA zones below 9. It blooms reliably and is known to bear fruit even on young plants at a small size.

Persea americana 'Joey' is a cold-tolerant Mexican-type avocado cultivar that originated in Texas, valued for its small dark-skinned fruit, rich flavor, and adaptability to cooler subtropical regions.

The fruit is small to medium, with thin dark purple to black skin, creamy high-oil flesh, and a relatively small seed - giving a generous edible portion for its size. The foliage is glossy and aromatic, with leaves releasing a distinctive anise-like scent when crushed, typical of Mexican-type avocados.

'Joey' is better adapted to occasional winter cold than most tropical cultivars, making it popular with home growers in marginal climates. Mature trees can reportedly tolerate brief drops into the low 20F, placing the cultivar in USDA Zones 8-11 under favorable conditions. It performs best in full sun with excellent drainage and protection from prolonged freezing or waterlogged soils.

Persea americana 'Zill' is a Guatemalan -West Indian hybrid avocado cultivar developed in Florida, valued for its glossy green fruit, smooth creamy flesh, and productive growth in warm subtropical climates.

The fruit is medium to large, retaining green skin at maturity, with mild rich flavor and a moderately sized seed. The tree is vigorous and evergreen, with dense glossy foliage and a broad canopy, performing especially well in warm humid climates with long growing seasons.

Cold tolerance is more limited than in Mexican-type avocados; mature trees may withstand only brief light frosts. 'Zill' grows best in full sun with excellent drainage and regular moisture during active growth, and is generally suited to USDA Zones 9b-11.

Persea americana 'Fuerte' is a historically significant Mexican-Guatemalan hybrid avocado cultivar, one of the first widely successful commercial varieties in California. Its name - Spanish for "strong" - refers to its ability to survive cold events that damaged many other seedlings.

The fruit is pear-shaped with smooth medium-green skin that remains green at maturity. The flesh is pale green to yellowish, buttery, and rich-flavored with high oil content, and is widely regarded as having particularly fine eating quality among avocado cultivars.

The tree is evergreen and moderately vigorous, though bearing can become somewhat irregular in certain climates. 'Fuerte' tolerates cool subtropical conditions better than West Indian types; mature trees may withstand brief drops into the mid-20F. It grows best in full sun with excellent drainage and moderate consistent moisture, and is generally suited to USDA Zones 9-11.

Persea americana 'Russell' is a West Indian-type avocado cultivar that originated in Florida, recognized for its strikingly elongated narrow fruit - considerably longer than most standard varieties. The skin is smooth, glossy, and remains green at maturity; the flesh is pale and creamy with a mild flavor and relatively low oil content, typical of West Indian types.

The tree is vigorous and fast-growing, with large glossy leaves and a broad canopy, well suited to warm humid subtropical and tropical climates. The unusual fruit shape makes it distinctive in both home collections and specialty markets.

'Russell' grows best in full sun with rich well-drained soils and regular moisture during active growth. It is less frost tolerant than Mexican-type avocados - mature trees may withstand only brief light frosts - and is best suited to USDA Zones 10-11 and warm protected parts of Zone 9b.

Persea americana 'Brogdon' is a cold-tolerant avocado cultivar from Florida, believed to have significant Mexican-race ancestry, valued for its rich flavor and reliable performance in marginal growing climates.

The fruit is medium-sized, pear-shaped to oval, with deep purple to nearly black skin at maturity - relatively thin and smooth for a dark-skinned cultivar. The flesh is yellow, creamy, and high in oil, with a buttery texture and excellent flavor often considered superior to many cold-hardy selections. The tree is vigorous and evergreen with a rounded canopy, typically reaching 20 to 30 feet but manageable with pruning.

Mature trees can tolerate brief drops to around 22-25F, making 'Brogdon' one of the more cold-hardy avocado cultivars available, suited to USDA Zones 8b-11. It grows best in full sun with well-drained soil and regular moisture during establishment.