Welcome to the world of avocados! And what a wonderful wide world it is. Hass, the most common type of avocado that you’ll find in grocery stores, is only one of dozens of avocado varieties around. To be honest, Hass isn’t necessarily the best one either! It just happens to be the most marketable because it ships and stores so well. Don’t get me wrong, Hass are great. We grow Hass and thoroughly enjoy the fruit! It is a beautiful tree. Yet there are plenty of other avocado varieties with unique qualities that deserve recognition too.
Perhaps you’re here because you’re interested in growing your own avocados? That’s great! Once you read this article and choose what avocado varieties you want to grow, check out our extensive “how to grow avocados” guide. Or, if you’re here simply to learn more about avocado varieties – welcome! I hope you enjoy the read and learn something new.
Before we dive into all of the specific avocado varieties, let’s talk about them in terms of two larger groups first: Type A and Type B avocados. (or, larger groups – their race, and flower type…
Avocados are one of my favorite fruits. Their rich, creamy texture and subtle flavor make them so versatile and delicious. As an avid gardener, I was curious to learn about the different types of avocado plants so I could grow my own at home.
After doing some research, I was surprised to discover just how many avocado varieties there are! While most of us are familiar with the Hass avocado, there are actually hundreds of different types. Avocados fall into three main categories: Mexican, Guatemalan, and West Indian. Each category has its own unique traits that make them suitable for different climates and uses.
In this article, I’ll provide an overview of the major categories of avocado plants and some of the most popular varieties within each group. Whether you’re looking to plant your own avocado tree or just want to learn more about this remarkable fruit, read on to uncover the diverse world of avocados!
Mexican Avocado Plants
Mexican avocado varieties originated from the highlands of Mexico and are the most cold-hardy type. They can survive temperatures as low as 20°F once established. Mexican avocados account for 80% of the commercial production in California.
Some popular Mexican avocado varieties include:
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Hass: This is by far the most popular. Hass avocados have bumpy, dark purple-black skin when ripe. The flesh is creamy with a rich, nutty flavor. It’s an A-type flower.
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Fuerte: This green-skinned avocado has a more delicate, sweet flavor. It’s a B-type flowering variety.
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Zutano: Zutano has a shiny, thin, yellow-green skin. It has a mild, nutty taste. This is a B-type variety.
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Bacon Bacon avocados are oval with smooth, green skin that ripens to purplish-black. The flesh has a higher fat content than Hass. It’s an A-type avocado.
Guatemalan Avocado Varieties
Guatemalan avocados come from the highlands of Guatemala. They are medium-sized with smooth, thin, green skin that ripens to black or purple-black. Guatemalan varieties are cold-hardy down to around 30°F.
Some popular Guatemalan types include:
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Reed: Reed avocados are large, round, and green-skinned. The flesh is smooth and creamy with an anise-like flavor. Reed is an A-type variety.
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Booth 8: This medium-sized avocado has black, pebbly skin. The flesh is nutty, dense, and high in oil. It’s a B-type bloomer.
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Brooks Late: Brooks Late avocados are pear-shaped with glossy, deep green skin. The creamy flesh has a fantastically rich flavor. This is an A-type avocado.
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Rincon: Rincon has small, purple-black, pebbled skin. The flesh is creamy with a mild, sweet flavor. It is a B-type variety.
West Indian Avocado Plants
West Indian avocado varieties come from Central America and the Caribbean. They are the least cold-tolerant, only surviving down to around 40°F once established. West Indian types generally have the lowest oil content of the three categories.
Popular West Indian avocado varieties include:
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Lula Lula avocados are large with smooth bright green skin. The flesh is watery and mild tasting. Lula is a B-type avocado.
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Monroe: This large avocado has glossy, thin, green skin that ripens to yellow-green. It has a mild, sweet flavor. Monroe is an A-type variety.
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Semil 34: Semil 34 avocados are small with rough green skin. The flesh is creamy with a slightly nutty flavor. It is a B-type flowering plant.
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Beta: This small avocado has shiny, purple-black skin when ripe. Beta has a smooth texture and mild taste. It is an A-type variety.
Other Avocado Varieties
In addition to the main categories, there are also some avocado varieties that don’t neatly fit into one specific group:
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Gwen: Gwen has a small, oval shape with pebbled, green skin. The rich, nutty flesh makes it a popular variety for eating fresh. Gwen is an A-type bloomer.
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Pinkerton: This pear-shaped avocado has shiny, green skin that ripens to a deep purple-black. It contains more oil than Hass. Pinkerton is a B-type variety.
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Carmen: Carmen avocados are large with thin, glossy skin that ripens from green to black. The buttery flesh has an anise-like scent. This is an A-type avocado.
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Ajax: Ajax is a large, oval avocado with smooth, green skin. It has creamy flesh with excellent flavor. Ajax is a B-type variety.
Key Differences Between Avocado Types
To summarize the key differences:
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Mexican varieties are the most cold-tolerant and account for most commercial production. They have the highest oil content. Popular Mexican types include Hass and Fuerte.
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Guatemalan avocados are medium-sized with smooth, thin green skin. They are cold-hardy to around 30°F. Examples include Reed, Booth 8, and Brooks Late.
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West Indian varieties come from Central America and the Caribbean. They are the least cold-hardy but grow very large. Some common West Indian types are Lula, Monroe, and Semil 34.
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Other avocado varieties like Gwen, Pinkerton, Carmen, and Ajax are hybrids that combine desirable traits from the different groups.
Growing Avocados at Home
If you live in a warm climate with minimal frost, I highly recommend trying to grow an avocado plant! Here are some tips:
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Choose a type suited to your climate. Pick cold-hardy Mexican or Guatemalan varieties if you get cooler winters.
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Start with a grafted plant or seedling. Seeds produce unreliable offspring.
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Plant in well-draining, fertile soil. Avocados don’t tolerate wet feet.
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Give them space to grow. Avocado trees can reach 60 feet tall and wide.
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Water young trees regularly to establish deep roots. Mature trees are quite drought-tolerant.
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Fertilize 3-4 times per year and prune to shape the canopy.
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Be patient! Avocado trees typically start bearing 3-4 years after planting.
Both Type A and Type B
There is one special variety of avocado that has both type A and type B flowers at once. The Wurtz or “ Little Cado” is also the only true dwarf avocado variety. Between its compact size, superior self-fertility, and ability to bear fruit sooner than most – the Little Cado is awesome for backyard gardens and small spaces. See more details below.
What is the difference between Type A and Type B avocados?
Avocados have very unique flowers. Rather than having separate male and female flowers like some plants, or both male and female anatomy available to interact within the same blossom as others do – avocado flowers essentially change sexes! Type A avocados bloom with their female reproductive parts available first, and do so in the morning. Type B avocado flowers also open in the morning, but in their male phase. Then, each of them pull a switcheroo – and the flowers open as the opposite sex the following day in the afternoon.
Because avocado flowers take turns exposing their male and female parts, it is more difficult for a single tree to pollinate itself and thus bear fruit. Again, it does happen… but to a lesser extent than when an opposite Type A or Type B is around, wagging their complimentary sex parts around. That is why in nearly all commercial avocado ranches, you’ll find multiple avocado varieties grown nearby to increase cross-pollination. The most common partnership is Hass and Fuerte.
Type A and Type B avocado flower blooming behavior. Chart courtesy of
Interestingly enough, there are other commonalities between the avocado varieties of each Type A or Type B group – beyond their blooming behaviors! Consider the fruit itself.
Several of the Type A avocados are quite Hass-like, or descendants from Hass itself. That is, they have thick firm skin with rich and nutty flesh, high in oil content. They’re known to be exceptionally creamy.
In contrast, most of the Type B avocados are considered “greenskins”. They’re usually more thin-skinned, fragile, and may have slightly more watery flesh with lower oil content. Consequently, Type B avocados are less popular among the commercial avocado industry as they damage easily in shipping and processing. Even more reason to grow your own: to enjoy avocado varieties otherwise not readily available! Some people find the flavor and texture of Type B’s inferior to Type A’s. I personally love many from each group.
All avocado varieties have many things in common: They’re evergreen perennial trees, generally do best in USDA hardiness zones 8 or 9 through 11, and don’t tolerate extreme heat or freezing temperatures well. That is, with the exception of some hardy Mexican varieties – highlighted below. Avocado trees enjoy ample sunshine and water, but impeccably free-draining soil and absolutely no standing water.
And of course, the best commonality of all: they supply delicious, rich, creamy avocado fruit! The most sure-fire way to get a prolific fruit-bearing avocado tree is to purchase a young grafted nursery tree, which should bear fruit within 2 to 4 years on average. On the other hand, pit-grown trees can take 10-15 years to produce fruit and also will not “breed true” to the parent seed. Note that avocados do not ripen on the tree. They must be harvested once mature, and allowed to finish ripening for 3 to 10 days at room temperature.
Harvesting green Hass and Sir Prize avocados, because they don’t ripen on the tree. The time it takes for avocados to mature on the tree varies with the variety. Some may be ready several months after fruit sets (the same year) while many other types are harvested a year or longer after the initial fruit set, like Hass. Read each variety’s bloom vs harvest time below!
5 Best Avocado Trees to Grow | NatuerHills.com
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