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Young avocado tree

Avocado

The avocado is probably the most nutritious of all fruits. Because it is commonly used in salads it is widely considered a vegetable.

This page provides some basic information about avocado including some avocado photos, and some tasty avocado recipes.


Basic information on avocado

Scientific name: Persea americana
Synonym: Persea gratissima
English: Avocado
Avocado pear
Butter pear
Alligator pear
Midshipman's butter
Dutch: Avocado
Spanish: Aguacate
French: Avocat
German: Avocado
Italian: Avocado
   
Family: Lauraceae
Order: Laurales
   
Origin: Southern Mexico and Central America
Distribution: Important in Central America as a food crop. In most tropical countries avocados are now grown either for home consumption or for local markets.
   
Evergreen or deciduous: Evergreen
Flowers: The small greenish-yellow flowers are 5 to 10 mm wide.
Leaves: Avocado leaves are 12-25 cm long.
Fruits: Avocado fruits are egg-shaped or pear-shaped.
Climate and weather: Avocado requires a tropical or subtropical climates. The tree needs a climate without frost. It cannot tolerate strong winds.
Pollination: Pollination is by insects, usually by bees.
Height: Avocado trees are up to 20 meters tall.
Type of soil: Can be grown on different types of soils but prefers deep well aerated soils. Avocado cannot stand waterlogging so it requires good drainage. If there is a danger of waterlogging the trees should be planted on mounds.
Light: Prefers full sun.
Spacing (close range) 4 meter
Spacing (wide range) 10 meter
Propagation: Avocados can be grown from seed but vegetative propagation by grafting is needed, as cultivars are very heterozygotous.
Insect pests: Not many insect pests, but scale insects, mealybugs and mites may cause some problems.
Diseases: Root rot (Phytophtora)
Harvesting: The avocado fruit does get ripe on the tree. It can be picked in a hard, "green" but mature condition. After that it will ripen quickly in a few days time.
Chemical composition: Avocados are very nutritious fruits with the highest energy value of all fruits. The flesh contains sugar, proteins and highly digestible oil which is very similar to olive oil. Avocados contain vitamins A, B and E.
Uses: Ripe fruits are eaten fresh or used in salads. Avocado fruits are not sweet, but have a fatty flavor, and a smooth creamy texture. They have a higher fat content than other fruits. An unripe fruit is hard, but when ripe it will feel a bit soft when pressed in the palm of the hand. The flesh of ripe fruits has a typical greenish yellow to golden yellow color.

Avocado photos

Young avocado tree Young avocado tree Avocado half fruit Avocado fruit Avocado fruit cut half Avocado open Three avocado fruits

Proverbs

Quotes

Please send me a message if you know any proverbs or quotes about avocado.

Did you know that?

Unlike other fruits, the avocado is not sweet, but it is very nutritious.

Recipes

Recipes

Avocado with Tunafish

Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados, 200 gram tuna fish, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 or 2 tablespoon mayonnaise (or mayonnaise mixed with yoghurt), salt, pepper

Instructions:
Cut the avocados lengthwise in halves and remove the seeds. To avoid discoloration treat the surface with some lemon juice. Mix the tuna fish with salt, pepper and mayonnaise and fill it in the avocado. Refrigerate it slightly before serving.

Simple avocado

Cut a ripe avocado lengthwise in halves and remove the seeds. Sprinkle with lemon juice, vinegar or Worcester sauce. Add salt and pepper.



 

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