When most people think of avocados, they probably picture the familiar dark, pebbly-skinned Hass avocado. But there is a whole world of avocado varieties that look and grow very differently from Hass. Florida avocados are a great example. For the past two years, I’ve been experimenting with several Florida avocado varieties here in Montebello, California, to see how they would perform in our climate. The varieties I’m growing are Choquette, Russell, Red Thompson, and Miguel.

The Luna UCR™ avocado is often compared to Hass, and for good reason. It has the familiar creamy avocado character that most people expect from a Hass, but when you actually taste Luna, there are some noticeable differences. A Hass-Like Flavor, But Not Quite Hass Luna has a mild, pleasant nuttiness, but it doesn't have the same deep, rich, nutty flavor that makes a good Hass so distinctive. If you're expecting Luna to taste exactly like Hass, you may notice the difference imm

When summer temperatures start climbing, one of the biggest differences I notice between young and mature avocado trees is how much protection they need from the sun. A mature avocado tree has something a young tree simply doesn’t have yet: a large, established leaf canopy. That canopy acts like the tree’s own natural shade structure. It helps protect branches and portions of the trunk from direct sunlight and creates a more favorable environment within the tree. Mature trees

When most people think of an avocado, they probably picture a Hass. But there is a whole world of avocados that looks, tastes, and grows very differently. Today, I want to talk about four fascinating Mexican-race avocados: Mexicola, Mexicola Grande, Stewart, and Criollo. These avocados are special for several reasons. They are generally more cold tolerant than many Guatemalan-influenced varieties, they can have incredibly thin skin, and their flavor can be much more intense a

When most people think about an avocado, they probably picture a Hass. But once you start growing different varieties, you quickly realize that avocados are far from being all the same. There are hundreds of avocado varieties, and each one can have its own characteristics. They can differ in shape, size, texture, flavor, skin, growing habit, harvest season, and even how they handle different growing conditions. Different Shapes and Sizes One of the first things you notice whe

Have you ever grown an avocado tree and later realized you don’t really like the fruit? Maybe you grew it from seed and waited years for it to produce. You finally get your first avocados, taste them, and think, “Yeah… this isn’t what I was hoping for.” Or maybe you bought a variety that you thought you were going to love, but the production isn’t great, the fruit is too small, or it just doesn’t perform well in your yard. Does that mean you have to pull the whole tree out an

If you’ve noticed your avocado tree looking a little sad lately, with the leaves drooping or hanging down during the hottest part of the day, don’t automatically assume something is wrong with your watering. One thing I’ve been seeing during these really hot days is heat stress. And yes, even if you watered your tree properly, the leaves can still droop. What causes the leaves to droop? Plants are constantly losing water through their leaves through a process called transpira

If you've ever tasted a homegrown avocado, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Once you grow your own, it's hard to go back to buying avocados from the grocery store. One of the biggest differences is when the fruit is harvested. Commercial avocado growers have to pick thousands of pounds of fruit that will be shipped all over the country. That means avocados are harvested as soon as they've reached the minimum maturity for shipping, not when they've had the maximum amou

If you've spent any time around avocado growers, you've probably heard the debate. "You need clonal rootstocks." "I've got 40-year-old Zutano seedlings that are still producing." Both statements can be true, which is why this topic gets more confusing than it needs to be. The reality is that rootstocks aren't about following trends—they're about matching the tree to the conditions you're growing in. The Old Workhorse: Zutano Seedling Rootstock For decades, Zutano seedlings ha

One of the most frustrating things about growing avocados is walking outside and seeing a beautiful fruit with a chunk missing from it. Whether it's squirrels, rats, birds, or other critters, you're not the only one dealing with this problem. Every year I lose one to many avocados, and after a while you realize you're competing with wildlife for your own harvest. The first thing I recommend is harvesting your avocados as soon as they're mature. Don't leave them hanging on the

If you're in Southern California, you're lucky to be able to grow so many different types of fruit, and one of the best things you can grow is an avocado tree. Avocados are one fruit that seems to bring every culture together. As a Mexican American, avocados have always been a big part of our meals and our family. For some people, growing avocados comes naturally. They eat an amazing avocado, plant the pit in the side yard, and before they know it, they have a tree producing

The summer flush is one of my favorite times of the year because this is when avocado trees really start pushing out a lot of new growth. If you look closely at your tree, you'll notice fresh leaves and shoots beginning to appear everywhere. Here in California, avocado trees typically have three major growth flushes throughout the year: a spring flush, a summer flush, and a fall flush. Even though avocado trees continue growing year-round, growth slows down dramatically durin

So, you just finished eating one of the most amazing avocados you've ever had. All that's left is the avocado pit. Then a crazy idea pops into your head... "What if I sprout this avocado pit and grow my own avocado tree? Then I'll have these amazing avocados for years to come!" I love that idea, and honestly, that's how a lot of people get into growing avocados. But before you stick that pit in a glass of water, there's something you should know. I hate to break it to you, bu

One of the questions I get asked the most is, "Why are your avocado trees white?" Think about going to the beach on a hot summer day. Most of us put on sunscreen because we know we'll regret skipping it later that night. I like to think of it the same way for avocado trees. A lot of people assume avocado trees can handle extreme heat, but the reality is that temperatures above 90°F begin to stress them. Young trees, especially those between 0 and 3 years old, need protection

Choquette September 2024 July 2026 Today I was looking at my Choquette avocado tree, and wow... where has the time gone? It's amazing how fast this tree has grown. Out of all my Florida-type avocados, the Choquette has easily been one of the most vigorous growers. I purchased this tree back in September 2024 from an online nursery in Florida. It arrived in a 3-gallon pot, and shortly after it arrived, I transplanted it into a 5-gallon container. As you can see in the pictures