COLD HARDY AVOCADOS-FROST TOLERANT
Frost Hardy Avocados Suitable forUSDA Zones 8a,8b&9a,9b(10a-11b)Perseaamericana var. drymifolia

BY TRACY TURNER

Most Avocado Farmers grow in USDA Zones 9-11. The Avocado Trees listed on this page,forBackyard Fruit Growing Purposes,should work out suitably in protected locations in Zone 8b(as well as zones 9a,9b-11). This page used the criteria of fruit taste and winter-hardiness. Temperatures listed-are for mature trees,for a few hours. Saplings are less cold tolerant.

Frost susceptible West Indian Avocado leaves have no significant scent,Guatemalan's either. Frost hardy(Buttery-fruited)Mexican Avocado leaves,when scrunched,have a faint Anise(Licorice)scent. The frost-tolerant varieties(genes)make theleaves smell like Anise. The Cold Hardy Avocados you seek are(genetically)from the dry subtropical highlands of Mexico.

Mexicola GrandeTYPE A(this one is a must have)

Creamy and delicate flesh that is deep green near the skin and yellow near the seed,with a smooth,rich,nutty flavor-18%oil content. The Mexicola Grande avocado tree is a fast-growing,tall and spreading evergreen,reaching up to 30 feet high and 20 feet wide. Very Cold Hardy to 19ºF.

Aravaipa Type Acan withstand temps as high as 120 degrees and as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The avocado fruit tastes like a Hass avocado. It can self-pollinate,but it’s recommended to plant a B type for better production. It can reach 50'by 50'.

GEM®Type A

Gem®is so new,reliable,dependable insight does not yet fully exist. GEM's fruit is larger,tastier than Hass-farmers are planting GEM,not Hass,for the next wave of factory-farmed avocados.

Gem's maximum,mature size is unknown,but it is a compact(dwarf?)upright grower that has clusters of fruit inside-away from frost and Sun scald. One website lists cold Hardiness at 20-24ºF. Is it 20ºF,or 24ºF,or in between?It is a hardiness estimate,but having better fruit flavor and bigger fruit than Hass makes this a very tempting choice for colder locales.The GEM®avocado's smooth flesh has acreamy,melt-in-the-mouth texture,andslightly sweet taste with a subtle nutty aroma. Other great features include GEM®'s thicker skin,which allows the flesh to be easily scooped out with a spoon.

Fantastic(Pryor,Del Rio)AvocadoType A

Very cold hardy tree,able to survive in zones that drop slightly below 17 degrees. ... They have avery good,nutty taste,as you would expect from a great avocado variety. 30-50 feet tall.

Lila Type A

Fruit Characteristics:Considered very rich and nutty. Medium-size,pear-shaped fruit that stay green when ripe. Other Unique Facts:Lila is a genetic clone of Opal,and is considered to be the second most cold hardy of all Mexican avocado varieties. 15 feet tall,10 feet wide. Hardy as low as 17ºF.

Stewart AvocadoTYPE A

The Stewart avocado is a cold hardy,more compact version of its parent Mexicola. The fruits are shiny black with a thin skin. The firm melting flesh is clear,bright,light-yellow shading to green toward the skin and is of excellent quality. The tree is vigorous and compact and produces good crops. It is listed as an A-Type avocado but has shown B-Type characteristics. Hardiness 24ºF. Medium size tree,20-25 feet tall.

Avocado variety"Day"Type A

Day's fruit first-creamy,ideal Guacamole flavor,big seed,very thin green skin turns black when ready to pick,Heavy producer,hardy down to 23ºF. Starts fruiting even when still in a nursery pot. G x WI cross. Fruit is small(8-16 oz.),pear-shaped with an excellent rich,nutty taste. Dr. Price’s tree in North Ft. Myers,FL survived the terrible freeze in 1989 with little damage while a nearby avocado was killed. Bears Aug-Sept.

Don Juan Type A

Produces a good sized avocado with a speckled green and brown skin. It is cold hardy to the mid-teens. The flesh is of exceptional quality. The fruit will hold on the plant for six months with ripening occurring from July to September.'DON JUAN'—Mexican. Sometimes called'Aravaipa'or"Arizona."Called“the Unicorn of the Desert”,this variety has been the subject of Avocado folklore. It is considered a“Haas”type that is dark green with brown or black specked skin. Hardy to at least 24°F,although it is reported to have survived down to the high teens. 

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Joey Avocado Type B

Height of 25 feet,and a width of 20 feet. Considered a“heavy producer”of small egg-shaped fruit. The thin skin is dark purple to black,and the flesh is described as flavorful and nutty. Hardiness,16-18ºF.

Brazzos Bell Type B

Brazos Belle:A large,upright,somewhat spreading tree. The purple-black fruit is an elongated pear shape,has creamy flesh and high oil content. The skin is shiny and paper thin. Ripens from August to October. Harvest when partially black then eat or refrigerate when fully black. Very cold hardy.(Similar to Wilma™).

From the Harris County Master Gardeners:Cold hardy Mexican variety. Large purple-black fruit with great flavor. Very low teens.

From Rivers end nursery:VERY COLD HARDY!This‘M’type avocado has medium-large,purple-black fruit. Very good typical Mexican Avo-flavor. Oct-Nov. Hardy to 16ºF to 17ºF.

Winter Mexican Type B

Exhibitsboth cold and heat tolerance. The large,tender-skinned,green fruit has a 30 percent oil content,giving the firm flesh a rich and creamy texture.This tree can grow toover 40 feet tallin the right conditions. Winter Hardy to 23ºF.

Wilma Type B

15-20 height,5-8 wide(side-yard?)

Cold-Hardy to:15 to 18°F.One of the most cold-tolerant avocado varieties!Fruit Characteristics:The medium-size fruit are long and narrow,with a rich nutty flavor reminiscent of Hass. The thin skin turns purplish black when ripe.

Oro Negro Type B

Ripens to a shiny black almost like patent leather. Oro Negro means black gold in Spanish,which is an incredibly appropriate name for this fruit. The flesh is rich and buttery with a creamy texture that is sure not to disappoint.

30’-50’

Cold Hardiness:20-24 degrees

Brogdon Type B

Produces high quality,larger dark-purple pear-shaped fruits with buttery yellow flesh,perfect for guacamole. Skin is thin and can be eaten with the fruit flesh. Many farm's favorite!Mexican Variety 30’-50’

Cold Hardiness:18-22 degrees

Poncho Type B

It is also called the‘Pancho’and bears a medium-large green fruit. It can tolerate cold down to the low 20s and is the latest of the producers from mid-August through October. In that respect,it pairs nicely with and early producer if you want fruit for a long period. And who doesn’t?Pancho/Poncho-Cold Hardy Avocado mature trees have withstood temperatures down to 15-18 degrees. Great taste was overlooked because of its small size,6–8 ounces,the flesh has a creamy texture and an excellent flavor. Poncho fruits in July and August. When ripe,the fruit is lime green in color with a red blush on its mid-section. Even though it is small the flavor of the Poncho avocado is amazing. Reaces 30'tall,20'wide.

Additional Mexican Race Avocado Cultivars:

MEXICAN race:(skin thin and tender,clings to the flesh;flesh of high oil content,up to 30%. The foliage has a pronounced anise-like odor;the tree is more cold resistant than those of the other races or hybrids,thriving near Puebla,Mexico,at 5,900 ft(1,800 m)above sea-level.

'Duke'(originated in California in 1912);elongated;rather small 5 1\2 to 7 oz(150 200 g);flesh of good quality,14.5%oil. Season:Sept. to Nov. in Calif.;late July or mid Aug. to mid-Sept. in Israel. Tree is large,symmetrical and wind and cold-resistant,and also highly resistant to root rot,especially when grown from cuttings. It is a poor bearer in some areas of California;has borne 168lbs(78 kg)annually from the 6th to the 15th year in Israel.

'Ganter'(originated in 1905 in California;introduced into Israel in 1943);small,about 5 1/2 oz(150 g);of good quality,18%oil;seed small to medium,usually loose. Season:Oct. to Dec. in Calif.;second half of Sept. in Israel. Tree is small,yields no more than 44lbs(20 kg)per year. Poor shipper.

'Gottfried'(seed of a seedling on Key Largo planted at USDA,Miami,in 1906;distributed in 1918);pear shaped;medium size;skin smooth,purple;flesh of excellent quality,9 to 13%oil;seed medium. Season:Aug. to Oct. Tree prolific in California;a poor bearer in southern Florida and subject to anthracnose,but hardy and desirable for home gardens on west coast of Florida.

'Mexicola'(originated about 1910 at Pasadena,California;propagated about 1912);very small;skin black;flesh of excellent flavor;seed large. Season:Aug. to Oct. Grown only in home gardens in California. Bears early and regularly;very heat-and cold-resistant;much used as a parent in California breeding programs.

'Northrop'(seedling from C.P. Taft planted about 1900 near Tustin,California;propagated about 1911);small,3 1/2 to 5 1/2 oz(100-150 g);skin nearly black;flesh of good quality,26%oil;seed medium. Season:Oct. and Nov. in California;mid Julyto mid-Sept. in Florida;mid Sept. to mid Oct. in Israel. Fruit does not keep well;flavor disagreeable when overripe. Tree bears regularly but has lower yield than'Duke'.

'Puebla'(considered pure Mexican but some suggest may be a Mexican X Guatemalan hybrid;was found in 1911 atAtlixconear where'Fuchs'originated). Of medium size;skin smooth,purple;flesh of good flavor;oil content nearly 20%;seed medium to large. Season:Sept. and Oct. in Florida;early to mid-winter in cool regions of California. Tree does not set fruit regularly in California or Israel and therefore is seldom planted now. Has been recommended for home gardens in Central Florida because of hardiness.

'Zutano'(hybrid,originated in 1926 at Fallbrook,California;registered in 1932);pear shaped;medium-small,skin light green,very thin,leathery;flesh watery,15 to 22%oil;seed medium. Season:Dec. and Jan. in California;Apr. and May in Queensland where it is considered of poor quality delicate to handle,and prone to disease during ripening. Tree is a good bearer. Ranks among 6 leading commercial cultivars in California,being grown where it is too cold for'Hass'.

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Imitate the Farmers:https://ucanr.edu/sites/alternativefruits/Avocados/Literature/...Never forget,both As and Bs for pollination...

My 2¢-Feeding Avocados with(balanced)Organic Tomato Food rich in Calciummayvastly lower the chances of getting fatal root rot diseases(primarily Phytophthora cinnamomi).

The most reputable California Avocado Tree Growers are:

La Verne Nursery in Piru(800)822-1117

Four Winds Growers in Fallbrook(833)824-8787

Durlings Nursery in San Diego(760)728-9572

Brokaw Nursery in Ventura 805-647-2262

Some Agricultural Products have crossed the radar-some I have used myself,others a trusted friend has used. The topic was boosting Avocado Tree growth and lessening time to productive maturity. There are several Caveat Emptors here. Don't cause fertilizer burn,that goes double(actually,goes half)in 100ºF+weather. Don't be greedy with fertilizer and burn your plants. Iron overdosed will burn,it burns even more in the heat. You are being asked not to make rookie mistakes that send everything backwards.

Devil's advocate here. People say or post online that it takes 10 years for an Avocado to become big and productive. Sure,if you don't follow sane irrigation,don't fertilize and don't use Mycorrhizae. Also,Organic Fertilizer(with all the soil microbes)is a Ferrari. Ammonium Nitrate(don't use it)is an old SUV with nobody at the wheel. Pinching pennies on a tree that can feed you for life is not sound. The new,high tech,organic fertilizers really,really work well-on young trees,use a bit less than the label says. Don't feed before frost season,in most areas June should be the cutoff point. In the Spring,wait until all danger of frost is over and then make your first feeding. As your tree gains in size,put the food further from the trunk(never on the trunk,never!). When the tree has been in and become established(trunk at lest 5-6"thick above the graft),this is the time to be a tiny smidge heavy handed with fertilizers,once in mid-Spring,once again 60-70 days later. Watering the food in is mandatory,don't ever leave a freshly-fed tree dry(drought-stressed).

I'm contradicting myself-if you feed with a light feeding of 0-10-10(plus minor/trace minerals)in July,you gain some frost protection. Plants with their health and sugars intact resist damage better than plants languishing(starving,improper watering). If you are anywhere hot(ha-ha)plant new Avocado Trees in late September through mid-October. Never transplant an Avocado in any possible heat wave. The notion of feeding in July-it is optional,but if you do,you want the first number to be zero,period:0-10-10 or 0-20-20,hopefully with trace minerals. Please do not use 6-20-20 Starter Food,what you want is 0-10-10 or 0-20-20,only. The Potassium,the whole package of 0-10-10 with minerals is to have all the cells in the plant loaded with Carbs before Frost hits,but to not have any flush of excessive green growth.

Please don't prune Avocados before or during Frost Season.

I like G&B Tomato Food and I like Dr. Iron and I like Gypsum(Calcium and Sulphur). I use less than what is recommended when applying all three,even less if a heat wave is coming. I can always add a bit later,but once it is watered in,it cannot be taken back(like Curry).

My friend Jack(between the two of us,there are over 90 years of Horticultural experience)I digress,Jack likes Gypsum,too. Jack also like Tri-C-Organic(brand)Myco-Revival-Plus(product). Both of us love Mycorrhizae products,Jack really loves this one. It can be top-dressed and watered in,in which case it penetrates to the roots with no tilling.

Jack also likesHydretain. The manufacturer says it takes water out of the air and out of the soil and keeps it in the root zone-it works a lot like 1980s Acrylamide Polymers,but it is a more modern approach to keeping sandy soils moist(conserving water without having plastic plants). Hydretain can be sprayed on and watered in,the old Acrylamide method required tilling.

So,here's the deal,this page has all of the best Cold-Tolerant Avocados listed. Don't put manure in the planting hole,low-bacteria humus works best. Don't worry too much about frost,welcome to Global Warming-maybe Avocados will soon be planted inside the Arctic Circle;-)If you follow the use of the products on this page(adapted to your soil and climate)... I would expect some fruit and by age 8 years,fairly good yields-for backyard fruit growing. BTW,you can get a bit heavy handed with Myco-Revival-Plus on a newly planted tree. Maybe 7 years... After the tree is a year old,a top-dressing of well-rotted horse-manure(for arid Southwestern gardens)works well. Avoid manure around the tree trunk. Avoid fresh,un-composted manure,you want black with Earthworms in it,it should have a soil smell. Following this method for mulching once just before the rainy season-maybe at 6 years you will have the harvest that"is said by experts takes 10 years..."I've met and spoken to some of the experts that put this stuff in books,10 years for Avocado production. They wear shiny loafers and work in a cubicle and fill garden journals with half-truths.

Zones 8a and 8b are dicey for some of the Avocado Tree varieties above. If a zone map says 10ºF-15ºF,it could hit 7ºF and could conceivably kill the trees listed above. ThisCitrus Sierra Nevada articleis extremely useful to anyone wanting to avoid frost kill.

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