How To Grow An Avocado Tree

Growing your own avocado tree is a great option if you love the rich, creamy fruits, and they’re easier to care for than you might think.

The first step is learning about what conditions they need to thrive and produce at their best. This guide is designed to teach you just that.

Below you’ll learn all about growing avocado trees, from planting, watering, sunlight, and soil to fertilizing, pruning, harvesting, and everything in between.

Table of Contents

Avocado trees (Persea americana) are a subtropical evergreen perennial native to Mexico, Central and South America, and West India.

They can reach heights ranging between 15-60’ with a canopy that spreads up to 30’. Branches have oval green leaves up to 10” long.

Small greenish-yellow flowers grow in clusters and bloom between winter and early summer, depending on the variety.

Fruit shape and color also depend largely on the type you have. The fruits can range from light to deep green, be smooth or pebbled, and have a rounded, oblong, or pear-shape.

There are 3 main ‘races’ of avocado trees: Mexican, Guatemalan, and West Indian. Mexican one are the most cold-hardy, while West Indian types are more heat tolerant.

Many popular varieties are hybrids or grafts of two races. The variety you buy affects the shape, flavor, and harvest period.

Thankfully all avocado trees can be cared for in the same way. Some of the most popular types are:

Avocado tree hardiness depends on the variety, but they’re typically not tolerant of cold temperatures. Most grow year round only in zones 8-11 and will not survive 32°F (0°C) or lower.

In cooler climates that experience only mild frosts, you can protect the roots with mulch and cover the leaves with blankets. Otherwise you must grow them in a container