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In What Areas of the United States Can You Grow an Avocado Tree?
In What Areas of the United States Can You Grow an Avocado Tree?. The avocado is a creamy, green fruit that is enjoyed by people in many parts of the world. The fruit is often used in Mexican dishes, where the plant originates from, and it is now commercially grown in several places around the U.S.. The avocado produces best in areas with mild...
The avocado is a creamy, green fruit that is enjoyed by people in many parts of the world. The fruit is often used in Mexican dishes, where the plant originates from, and it is now commercially grown in several places around the U.S.. The avocado produces best in areas with mild winters, making it most successful in the southernmost reaches of the country and south of the border. Three states in the U.S. are best suited for avocado growing.
California
A judge by the name of R.B. Ord first introduced native avocados to the U.S. when he planted trees brought from Mexico in 1871 Santa Barbara, according to the California Avocado Commission website. A few decades later, California had become a commercial producer of the fruit.
The Haas and Fuerte avocado varieties are the most commercially successful of more than 50 varieties that grow along this west coast state. The mild weather in California allows for avocado growing year-round, with most avocado trees grown in the southern end of the state around San Diego. California is now the leading producer of avocados in the U.S., providing about 90 percent of the nation's crop.
Florida
The first avocados in Florida were imported in 1833. Years later imported trees were planted near the southern tip of Florida where they became a favorite commercial crop.
The avocados grown in Florida are most commonly of the West Indian variety. This variety and the West Indian-Guatemalan hybrids are best suited for a frost-free environment. For this reason, the majority of avocados grown in Florida are located in Miami-Dade County or Collier County, according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension website. A few farmers grow avocados in other parts of Florida as well.
Hawaii
While Hawaii has a seemingly ideal climate for avocado growth and an abundance of trees, the fruits coming from Hawaii are not considered the highest of quality like those from California. Most avocados in Hawaii are a Mexican and Guatemalan hybrid variety known as Sharwil. According to the University of Hawaii Extension website, 57 percent of all commercial acreage for avocados in Hawaii is covered in Sharwil avocados.
Sharwils weigh 8 to 20 oz. at full size and have a dark green skin. They have a yellow-green pulp with a nutty flavor. Locally they are considered superior to more common California varieties and are believed a gourmet item. Unlike the Haas avocado, the Sharwil remains green when ripe instead of turning black.
