Avocado
A serious tree that pays back for decades. Pick the right variety.
Persea americana
The buttery backyard classic, if you site it right and respect one serious disease.
Why it works here
Avocado is one of the great Florida dooryard trees, and the West Indian and Guatemalan-West Indian hybrid types are bred for exactly our heat and humidity. On the Treasure Coast I'd lean toward the cold-hardier varieties like Choquette or Booth 8 and give the tree a warm, well-drained spot, because a hard freeze can hurt a young one. It anchors an edible landscape with real shade and decades of fruit if you keep it healthy.
Care
Water new trees regularly for the first year to get roots down, then back off, avocado roots rot in standing water so drainage matters more than frequency. Feed with compost and a balanced organic fertilizer a few times through the warm season, and keep a wide mulch ring pulled back off the trunk. Prune lightly each year to hold the height where you can actually reach the fruit and to open the canopy to airflow. One thing worth knowing: avocados have Type A and Type B flowers that open male and female at opposite times of day, so a second tree of the other type can improve your fruit set.
Common problems
Laurel wilt disease: this is the big one. Avocado is in the same plant family as redbay and is susceptible to laurel wilt, a fungus (Raffaelea lauricola) carried by the redbay ambrosia beetle that has killed thousands of South Florida avocado trees. There is no cure once a tree is infected. The cultural response is to keep the tree vigorous, avoid moving firewood that can carry the beetle, and remove and properly dispose of an infected tree fast so it does not seed the neighborhood. I will always tell you the honest truth here: it is a real risk, not a guarantee your tree gets it.
Root rot: from poor drainage. Plant high on a mound in heavy or wet ground.
Broken limbs: from wind and overloaded branches. Prune for structure and thin heavy fruit.
Common questions
Can I just grow the pit from a grocery store avocado?
You can sprout it and it makes a fun houseplant-into-tree, but a seedling can take up to a decade to fruit and the fruit may be nothing like the one you ate. For actual avocados in a few years, start with a grafted tree of a named Florida variety.
Do I need two trees?
Not strictly, many people get fruit off one. But avocados set better with a partner of the opposite flower type (A vs B) nearby, so if you have room, two can noticeably improve your harvest.
How worried should I be about laurel wilt?
Aware, not paralyzed. It is a genuine threat in our region and I will not pretend otherwise, but plenty of healthy dooryard trees are still fruiting. Keep the tree strong, do not haul in outside firewood, and act quickly if you see sudden wilting of whole branches.
Interested in a avocado in your landscape?
We plan, install, and care for it. Start with a paid consultation.