Avocados are highly nutritious. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and oil. People eat avocados fresh in dips, salads, and desserts. Guacamole, a popular Mexican dish, is made with mashed avocados, onions, tomatoes, and various seasonings.
Avocados are native to Central and South America, but they are now grown
in many other parts of the world. Mexico is the leading avocado-producing
country, followed by Brazil, Israel, and South Africa. In the United States,
California and Florida produce most of the avocado crop.
Avocado trees grow between 9 and 18 metres high. They have spreading branches
with dark-green leaves and small, greenish-white flowers. Avocado trees
thrive in moist, well-drained soil.
The avocado tree belongs to the family Lauraceae, and is classified as Persea americana. The avocado is native to tropical regions of the western hemisphere and is widely cultivated for its fruit. The nutritious fruit is high in fat and protein content. The southern United States and the state of California grow large numbers of avocado trees.
A large number of varieties of avocado exist, including:
although you will find many different varieties grown within Australia and overseas.
The table below details some of the fruit characteristics of the more popular avocado varieties.
| Type | Shape | Skin colour | Skin thickness | Fruit surface | Flesh recovery | Fruit weight | Maturity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuerte Avocado | Pear; flat area on bottom corner | Green when ripe | Thin | Smooth | 77% | 250-425g | Early |
| Hass Avocado | Oval | Black when ripe | Medium | Pebbly | 70% | 180-350g | Mid season to late |
| Sharwil Avocado | Oval | Green when ripe | Medium to thick | Coarse | 81% | 250-400g | Mid season |
| Shepard Avocado | Pear | Green when ripe | Medium | Coarse | 69% | 155-285g | Very early |
| Wurtz Avocado | Pear | Dark green when ripe | Thin | Coarse | 69% | 280-350g | Late |
If you would like more information on avocados, a very good reference is a product in the Agrilink series:
Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Avocado Information Kit, 2001
or visit www.dpi.qld.gov.au/agrilink