The Mexican Race Avocados: Thin Skin, Cold Tolerance & Incredible Flavor

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 and aromatic than the avocados you typically find at the grocery store.

The Mexican Race

The Mexican race is one of the three major avocado races, along with the Guatemalan and West Indian races. Mexican-race avocados originated in Mexico and developed characteristics that make them particularly interesting for backyard growers.

One of their most useful characteristics is cold tolerance. Mexican-race avocados are generally better adapted to cooler temperatures than many Guatemalan types. That doesn't mean they are frost-proof—young trees can still be damaged by freezing temperatures—but they can be a great choice for growers who experience colder winters.

And then there is the skin.

That Incredible Thin Skin

Mexican-race avocados are known for their thin, delicate skin. Some varieties can have skin so thin that it is actually edible.

Take Mexicola, for example. When ripe, the fruit can become very dark, almost black, and the skin is thin enough that you can eat the fruit without peeling it.

That's completely different from a Hass avocado, which has thick, tough, pebbly skin designed to protect the fruit during harvesting, packing, transportation, and handling.

Mexicola Grande also has that characteristic dark, thin skin, but, as the name suggests, it produces a larger fruit than Mexicola.

Mexicola

Mexicola is one of the most recognizable Mexican-race avocados. The fruit is relatively small, but don't let its size fool you.

It can have a rich, oily, intense avocado flavor, along with a strong aroma. The thin skin is one of its most interesting characteristics, and unlike many commercial avocados, the skin can be eaten.

For someone growing avocados at home, Mexicola can be an especially interesting variety because you're getting a combination of cold tolerance, unique flavor, and edible skin.

Mexicola Grande

Mexicola Grande takes many of the characteristics people love about Mexicola and puts them into a larger fruit.

It has dark skin and a rich flavor, while still retaining the thin-skinned characteristics associated with Mexican-race avocados.

If you like the idea of Mexicola but want something larger, Mexicola Grande is definitely one to look at.

Stewart

Stewart is another interesting avocado with strong Mexican-race characteristics.

It is known for being cold tolerant compared with many common commercial varieties, making it valuable for growers who deal with cooler winters.

The fruit has dark skin and a rich flavor, and it is another great example of how different avocado varieties can be from the Hass we see everywhere in stores.

Criollo

Then we have Criollo, which is especially interesting because the name can refer to traditional or locally selected Mexican-race avocados, so characteristics can vary.

Some Criollo avocados have incredibly thin, almost papery skin. They can also have a very distinctive aroma and intense avocado flavor.

These traditional types are a great reminder that avocado diversity goes far beyond the handful of varieties commonly sold commercially.

Why Do They Taste So Different?

One of the things I love about Mexican-race avocados is their flavor.

Commercial avocados are often selected for characteristics like size, shelf life, shipping ability, and appearance. Mexican-race avocados can give you something completely different.

Their fruit can be highly aromatic, rich, oily, and intensely flavored. Some people describe the flavor as more "avocado-like" than the mild flavor of many store-bought fruits.

And because you're growing them yourself, you can let the fruit mature properly and experience the variety as it was meant to be enjoyed.

Cold Tolerance Doesn't Mean Frost Proof

There is one important thing to remember.

When we say Mexican-race avocados are more cold tolerant, that does not mean they can survive anything winter throws at them.

A mature, established tree can handle cold better than a young tree, and the amount of damage depends on the temperature, duration of the cold, wind, tree health, and whether the tree has acclimated to cooler weather.

Young avocado trees are especially vulnerable.

So if you live somewhere that occasionally gets freezing temperatures, don't assume that planting a Mexican-race avocado means you don't need to protect it.

Four Avocados Worth Knowing

Mexicola. Mexicola Grande. Stewart. Criollo.

These four show just how much diversity exists within the avocado world.

They're generally more cold tolerant than many Guatemalan-type commercial varieties, they can have extremely thin skin, and they can offer flavors and aromas that are completely different from the standard avocado sitting in your grocery store.

For backyard growers, that's what makes them so exciting.

You're not just planting another avocado tree.

You're growing a piece of avocado history—and getting to experience flavors and characteristics that commercial agriculture doesn't always preserve.

So the next time you see a small, dark-skinned avocado, don't judge it by its size. It might just be one of the most interesting avocados you'll ever taste.