How to Identify Avocado Trees

The avocado tree, native to Central America between the Rio Grande and Peru, is a dense evergreen tree. Some avocado trees have been successfully maintained in the light winter areas of the United States, such as California, Florida and Hawaii. They must stay in the warmer regions of the United States as the hardiest of Avocado trees will freeze at 19 degrees Fahrenheit. Looking at the fruit, foliage and bark, we can easily identify the avocado tree.

Avocado leaf

Avocado fruit

Look at the leaves of the avocado tree. The leaves are glossy and have a thick waxy feel. They are dark green and have pale veins. The leaves are 4-6 inches long and have a slender shape. They are arranged in alternating patterns on the stem and have no serration.

Inspect the flowers if available. The avocado tree flowers between January and March, before the first fruit production of the season. The flower consists of 200-300 small yellow-green flowerlets. Each grouping of flowers will produce one to three avocado fruits.

Identify the fruit. The most distinctive part of the avocado tree is the fruit. There are several types of avocados. The West Indian avocado is a large glossy green fruit that weighs up to 2 pounds. The Guatemalan avocado has a medium pear-shaped and pebbled skin that turns black and green when ripe. These are the most common in the United States. The flesh of the avocado is green toward the hard outer covering and then becomes yellow toward the single large seed.

View the bark. The bark of the avocado tree has almost no brown or woody bark. Younger trees have bright green stems. The avocado tree is unique because the tree's bark and stems also work to photosynthesize the sun into food and energy for the tree just like the leaves.