Avocado is a soft fruit, fresh and provides a lot of nutrients. Hass is one of the many varieties you will find in stores, but no, it’s not the only one, because there are plenty of other types of avocado that are unique and taste great too. However, Hass is probably the one that is sent a lot because of the good delivery process and the fruit that may last a long time, so you can see this type in the market a lot.
Growing Hass avocado variety is really satisfying, not only the fruit is abundant but also delicious on the tongue. Here we will look at and review at least 20 amazing avocado varieties, you can choose them for you to grow in your location, but first make sure you find the right seeds and suitable for your climate.
In this article we will take a look at the 20 best avocado varieties you can grow. We will learn about their growing habits, tree size, harvest potential, cold tolerance, hardiness zones, fruit characteristics and much more. Not only that, we will also discuss many more including the differences between type A and type B varieties as well as important relationships in cross-pollination.
Avocado lovers, let’s gather here, we will discuss everything about avocados here. If you haven’t read about it is planting, please see our previous post on how to grow avocados properly. But if you just want to find out more information about avocado varieties, please continue reading and we hope you enjoy every information we present to you.
Before we discuss in detail about avocado varieties, let’s first discuss the two major groups of avocados, namely type A and type B avocado.
Type A vs Type B Avocados and Cross-Pollination
Basically, all types of avocado fall into the category of type A or type B. Well, for good yields and fruiting, basically, type A avocado plants must be planted close to type B avocados. For example, type A avocado is Hass, and Type B avocado is Fuerte, so for a bountiful harvest both must be planted close together.
But that doesn’t mean you have to have every type of avocado, not really. Some avocado varieties are self-fruitful and do not require partner trees for cross-pollination. For example Hass and Reed are good at yields when planted solo. On the other hand, if you have trees of different varieties as partner trees, this will support more optimal yields.
In fact, a study showed that cross-pollinated Hass avocados with other type B avocados would increase yields by more than 50%. Other avocado varieties also rely heavily on partner plants to pollinate well, some of which can even perform poorly without partner trees such as the Pinkertons variety. Avocado is pollinated by the wind, but mostly by bees.
If you want to grow avocados, you should consider planting two avocado varieties in one place. If your land is narrow and sufficient for two trees, maybe other avocado trees that grow around your house can be partners for cross-pollination. How far is the distance between two avocado trees? Some sources state the distance between the two is 25 to 30 feet. But if, in your area there are other avocado plants, then this is very good for those of you who are new to planting avocado plants because cross-pollination can work well.
The Difference between Type A and Type B avocados?
Some plants have separate male and female flowers and some have male and female flowers and can interact on the same flower. This is different from avocados which have unique flowers, where type A avocados bloom with the female reproductive parts first, and this occurs in the morning. While type B avocados also bloom in the morning, it is not the female flowers that bloom first but the male flowers. Well, then each of these flowers pulls a switcheroo. And vice versa, where the opposite sex opens the next day in the afternoon. That is why, if two different types of avocado are planted close together, it can produce more fruit. Pollination can occur quickly in a cross. (1)
Here we know that avocados take turns showing male flowers and female flowers, so it is difficult for one tree to self-pollinate. It’s not that you can’t, but that’s a little fruit. However, if two trees of different types are planted, when they flower they can directly pollinate each other so that more fruit will be produced.
That is why, if you go to a commercial avocado garden you will find different types of avocado planted close together. The most common varieties crossed are the Hass and Fuerte varieties.
How? Interesting isn’t it! so if you want to grow avocados then you should plant two different stems in one area close together.
There is another interesting thing among type A avocados, all type A avocados bear a resemblance to Hass, as if their children are all descendants of Hass. They have tough skin like Hass, thick, soft flesh, and more oil than type B.
That is why in the industry, type B avocados are less popular, among the signs of type B avocados are: green skin, thin, brittle skin, slightly juicy fruit and lack of oil content, so this type is less popular among the avocado industry and in shipping, this fruit is abundant. damaged so little is available in the market. This also causes type B avocados to be less attractive, some also mention that this variety is less delicious in taste and texture compared to type A.
Avocado Varieties
A Glimpse of Its Growth
Avocado is a green plant that will always be green and durable. All avocado types have much in common, they are perennials, with green leaves, avocados grow well in USDA hardiness zones 8 or 9 through zone 11. They cannot tolerate extreme heat and continuous frost except for a few Mexican varieties which have resilient growth. Avocado trees need sufficient sunlight and an adequate supply of water (without standing water).
All types of avocados have a pretty good thing in common, this is to give us avocados that are fresh and delicious and provide a lot of nutrients. The most common way to grow avocados is to buy seeds that are already live in a nursery. Buy young plants that can bear fruit 2,3 or 4 years after planting. Do not plant from seed as this will take 10 to 15 years to bear fruit.
Also note that avocados are not ripe on the tree, they are harvested when mature and stored at room temperature for 3 or 10 days to get to ripeness.
Type A Avocado Varieties
Some varieties that are grouped into type A are: Hass, Pinterton, Carmen Hass, Lamb Hass, Gwen, Mexicola Grande, Stewart, Reed, Holiday, Opal (aka Lila) and Pryor (aka Fantastic).
Type B Avocado Varieties
Some avocado varieties that are classified as type B are: Fuerte, Zutano, Bacon, Winter Mexican, Joey, Brogdon, Wilma aka Brazos Belle and Sir Prize.
Both Type A and Type B
One more unique type of avocado, there are avocado varieties that can be categorized into type A and type A at the same time, this is The Wurtz or “Little Cado”, a dwarf avocado type, which is short in size, bears fruit quickly, has superior fertility. This type is good for planting in containers or in narrow areas in the yard. Take a closer look below.
The Most Cold-Resistant Avocado Variety
Some varieties of avocado that are frost tolerant are as follows, they are mixed between type A and type B.
Joey, Opal (aka Lila), Bacon, Pryor (aka Fantastic), Wilma (Brazos Belle), Brogdon, and Mexicola Grande. To be clear, it will be explained below including the cold temperatures that can be tolerated by each plant.
Note: It should be noted that the avocado plant that we mention is resistant to cold, it is a plant that has grown, formed and has been around for about 3 to 4 years.
12 Type A Varieties
1. Hass
Hass avocados have type A flowers or pollinators and grow well in USDA zones 9 through 11. Hass can grow up to 35 feet but we can prune constantly to keep them from growing taller.
Hass is sensitive to cold weather below 32F, besides being cold-resistant, Hass is also heat-resistant, unlike other varieties that are hotter, such as Reed, Mekicola, and Lamb Hass.
Among the characteristics of Hass avocados are creamy flesh, nutty, medium fruit size, high fat, thick skin, changing from dark green to brown and black when fully ripe. The flowers bloom in May, and become ripe or harvest in April to September next. So, Hass avocado can only be harvested in about 12 to 14 months.
Unique Facts about Hass: The Hass variety was first grown in backyards of Southern California in the 1930s. Hass and Reed varieties are suitable for planting even if they do not have partner trees, they can also bear a lot of fruit when planted alone without a partner or type B trees.
2. Pinkerton
Pinkerton is a type A avocado too, this type of plant grows well in USDA zones 9 through 11. Pinkerton avocados are considered to be easier to care for than other types of avocado. It has a medium tree with a wide canopy. Pinkerton avocados are resistant to temperatures up to 30 F.
Characteristics of the fruit is like a pear with an oval shape and slightly slender and oval. It has a rich, nutty taste and is similar to Hass, but the smaller pits give the flesh a nice thickness. The skin is thick, gravel, and when ripe the fruit remains green and the skin is very easy to peel.
The blooming period is in spring, and ripe or harvested in April.
Among the unique facts about Pinkerton avocados are that they are highly dependent on partner trees or cross-reproduce with other avocados. If you plant it, plant it close to a type B avocado tree to maximize fruiting.
3. Reed
Reed avocado is type A and grows well in USDA zones 10-11. This variety grows slender and towering and can make this avocado tree planted in a narrow place. It can also produce well even if there is no partner or partner tree, and it can still produce well even though it is old.
Reed avocados are temperature sensitive below 35F, and they are heat resistant, even more so than Hass avocados. The shape of the fruit is round and large, the skin is thick and slightly pebbly and easy to peel. The taste is amazing and the color of the flesh is like butter. This includes the type of avocado with the largest fruit in all avocado varieties.
Flower blooming time is in spring to summer. While the ripening period is next summer, so it takes a lot of time to be able to harvest. It takes a year to harvest like Hass avocado.
Reed avocado quirky fact: This avocado plant requires less water compared to Hass. It is perfect for growing in dry California. Reed plants are hardy and not fussy, so this is one variety that is suitable for growing in hot areas.
4. Carmen Hass
One more type A avocado that you should try to grow, this is the Carmen Hass variety. This plant grows well in zones 9 through 11. The stem is medium in size, can grow up to 30 feet and can provide shade or shade if you plant it close to home. Carmen Hass is cold resistant up to 30 F.
The fruit is similar to Hass avocado but slightly smaller than Hass. The oil content is high, and the taste is amazing. The skin is thick and gravel and it will turn black or dark brown when ripe.
There are two blooming seasons, one in spring and one in late summer. While the ripening period is from November to October, so it can harvest earlier than the standard Hass.
5. Lamb Hass
This is a type A avocado that grows well in zones 9 through 11. Medium growth and upright growing. Lamb Hass is a type of avocado that occurs due to a cross between two different varieties. This is a cross between a traditional Hass and a Gwen (semi-dwarf avocado plant).
Lamb Hass is also considered to be more heat resistant than Hass and it is sensitive if grown in locations with temperatures below 30F.
Lamb Hass avocado taste the same as Hass, delicious, more oily, thick, and thick skin and turns black when ripe. It is not as flexible as Hass, so in terms of peeling it is not as easy as peeling Hass.
The flowers bloom late winter to spring, and are ripe or can be harvested in April to the following November. The seasons are longer and it is slower than Hass, it also takes a long time to mature on the tree. Lamb Hass avocado can be harvested after 18 months on the tree.
Unique Lamb Hass Fact: This plant is more heat-tolerant and cold-resistant compared to Hass avocado.
6. Carmen Hass
Carmen Hass is also type A and grows well in USDA zones 9-11. It grows to 30 feet and is a medium-growing tree. The branching system is also denser than Hass and the tree shape is shady and rounded.
It withstands cold up to 30F. The fruit is very similar to the Hass avocado but slightly smaller. it has a lot of oil content, tastes amazing, the skin is thick, gravel, and when ripe it will turn black in color. Carmen Hass blooms in two seasons, namely: in spring and in summer. While the harvest period is November to September and even October. The Carmen Hass variety bears fruit a few months faster than the Hass type.
7. Gwen
The gwen flower is type A and grows in zones 9 through 11. It is a small or dwarf avocado variety, naturally growing at only 15 feet tall. If you want it smaller, you can trim it gradually.
Gwen is resistant to cold up to 30 F. The texture of the fruit is the same as Gwen’s, as well as in terms of taste. The texture and taste is buttery and nutty but a little less creamy. While the fruit is slightly larger than Hass, the skin is thick, and when ripe the skin turns dark green.
The flowers bloom in spring, and ripen or can be harvested in May to September next.
Gwen’s unique facts: The size of the stem is small, but the fruit production is a lot, so gwen is an avocado that is suitable for planting in the yard or in pots.
8. Mexicola Grande
Pollinated Mexicola Grande avocado is included in type A and grows well in zones 8b to 11. This variety is considered a fruit producer and can produce many crops, it is a very productive avocado plant. The Mexicola Grande tree is very tall and large, it can grow to 40 feet or more.
Can withstand cold up to 20-22F, even down to 18F for short periods when the tree is big.
The characteristics of the Mexicola Grande avocado are large, even one fruit can weigh up to 1 pound and the seeds are also large. The skin of the fruit is green, rough, and when ripe it turns black. The taste of the fruit is a bit spicy and deliciously tempting.
The flowers bloom in mid-spring, through summer, and they ripen or harvest in August to October.
Unique fact: Mexicola Grande is an avocado variety that is very cold-resistant among the type A varieties, it is also heat-resistant than the Hass variety.
9. Stewart (Stuart)
Stewart’s avocado blossom (Stuart) also exhibits type A and grows well in zones 8b through 10. It is dense and medium growth, growing to a height of 20 to 25 feet when mature if not pruned.
Can withstand cold 20-22F. Characteristics of the fruit is the same as the mexicola grande where the fruit is pear-shaped, nutty flesh, and very soft. The skin is thin and leathery and when ripe turns dark purple to black.
The blooming time of the month is in spring and harvest is in October to December.
The unique fact of the Stewart avocado: The characteristics are somewhat the same as type B, but the pollination system is type A.
10. Holiday
Holiday is a type A avocado that grows in zones 9 through 11. It is semi-dwarf and usually grows to a size of 12 to 15 feet. It is sensitive to temperatures below 30 F.
Holiday avocados have fruit that are oval in shape, large in size and remain green when ripe. The oil content of the fruit is medium and the taste is very good.
The flowers bloom in spring and harvest from September to January. It’s called Holiday because it’s harvesting during the holidays. It is also one of the diligent fruitful and short in size so it is also suitable for planting in pots or in your yard.
11. Pryor/Del Rio
This variety is also included in the type A avocado, pryor sometimes also called by the name Fantastic. It grows well in zones 8 through 11. The tree is medium-sized and grows to a height of 25 to 30 feet.
If properly formed and growing, Pryor can survive temperatures from 15 to 18F. Characteristics of the fruit: small shape, thin skin and green color like olives. The texture of the flesh of the fruit is creamy and tastes good, and it contains a lot of healthy oils.
Flowers bloom in winter to late spring. He can be harvested in August, until November.
12. Opal aka Lila
Another type A avocado, this is Opal aka Lila which has type A flowers and grows in USDA zones 8b/9-11. This is a small avocado with an average growth of 15 to 20 feet. It is cold-resistant to 15F for short periods, while its normal temperature is 20 to 22F.
The fruit has a rich and nutty taste, medium in size, the fruit will remain green when ripe. The flowers bloom in winter to spring and can be harvested in July and November.
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8 Type B Varieties of Avocados
13. Fuerte
One of the type B avocados is Fuerte, this is a plant with open and pollination classified in type B, it has a different pollination system with the previous type A. Fuerte grows in zones 9-11, it grows to a large size and grows to 35 feet with a wide sprawling canopy.
Tolerates temperatures up to 28F, it must be protected from strong winds, it is not as heat resistant as the Hass avocado. The fruit is large green oval, and the skin is rough and easy to peel. The taste is amazing, creamy, and the oil content is lower than type A.
The flowers bloom in May to November and can be harvested from November to April of the following year. This is a very popular commercial avocado variety after Hass. Generally Fuerte plants are grown to be cross pollinated with Hass avocado.
14. Bacon
Bacon also belongs to type B avocado, it grows well in zones b8 through 11. It grows upright to medium size, reaches 20 feet in height, and it is slightly smaller than other varieties in type B.
It can withstand temperatures from 24 to 26 F, and it is well known as a variety that grows in cold climates. The fruit is large, with smooth skin, large green, and the skin is thin and difficult to peel. When ripe, the color of the fruit remains green. Avocado bacon has a creamy, buttery yellow flesh color. But the oil content is less than Hass avocado. Bacon is bigger than Hass but not as big as Reed.
Blooming time is late winter to spring. It can be harvested in December to February. Avocado bacon is a productive plant even if it is planted without a partner tree. But bacon is often planted next to type A avocados to pollinate type A avocado plants.
15. Sir Prize
It is a type B pollinating flower and grows well in zones 9 through 11. Sir Prize grows upright to medium size, reaching 25 to 35 feet in height at maturity. it is sensitive below 32°F.
The fruit is similar to type A avocado both in terms of fat or in terms of texture. This avocado has a creamy flesh, and when ripe it turns black, the fruit is large with small seeds.
Flowers bloom in spring to summer, and ripen or harvest in winter to early spring, it is earlier than Hass avocado.
16. Zutano
Zutano is another type B avocado that grows well in zones 8b through 11. It is a type of avocado with large growth, includes large trees and reaches a height of up to 40 feet when fully mature.
It can withstand temperatures of 26F, and cannot survive below temperatures. The characteristics of the Zutano avocado are large, taste like Fuerte. This fruit is more watery and lower in oil, so the taste is less rich, less flavorful and creamy.
The flowers bloom in spring and can be harvested from October to February. The unique fact of the Zutano avocado is that it is renowned for being a consistent and heavy producer.
17. Winter Mexican
Included in type B is the Winter Mexican variety, where Winter Mexican grows in zones 8b through 11. The growth is large and is classified as a large avocado with a height of up to 40 feet.
Survive at 20F for a short period of time, while the normal growing temperature is 25F. The characteristics of the Winter Mexican avocado are similar to Hass but the fruit is smaller.
The flowers bloom in mid-spring, to early summer. While the harvest period is November to January. Although it is cold-resistant, it is not the most frost-resistant.
18. Brodgon
Brodgon, is type B and includes avocados growing in zones 8b through 11. It can grow up to 30 feet tall, erect and has dense branches.
Tolerant with a temperature of 24F, while the characteristics of the fruit is quite good. The fruit is very buttery and yellow in color, and is great for scooping straight out or growing in a glass. The skin is smooth, and the size of the fruit is very large, the skin turns dark purple when ripe.
Brodgon avocado blossoms bloom in mid-spring to early summer. Harvest period is August to November.
19. Joey
Joey is a type B avocado variety and grows well in USDA zones 8b through 11. Medium growth at 25 feet tall, it can grow at 15 to 18F for short periods.
Characteristics of the fruit like eggs, small, thin skin and turn purple to black when ripe. The meat is flavorful and nutty.
Joey avocado blooms in spring and can be harvested in August to October. The unique fact of Joey’s avocado is that it is independent, it can work alone in producing fruit, it doesn’t need a partner tree like some other varieties.
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20. Wilma aka Brazos Belle
It is type B and grows well in zones 8 through 11. Medium in growth, tree size at maturity is 20 to 25 feet. Wilma or Brazos Belle begins to bear fruit at the age of 1 to 2 years if from grafted seeds.
Can survive temporarily at temperatures of 15 to 18F, one type of avocado that is very cold-resistant.
The characteristics of the Brazos Belle avocado are medium length with narrow size. It has a nutty flavor like Hass avocado. When ripe the skin also turns black. The blooming period is winter to spring. It begins to be harvested from October to November.
Both Type A and B Flowers
There is one avocado variant whose flowers can be said to be type A and type at the same time.
Wurtz aka “Little Cado”
Wurtz is a unique avocado with two types of flowers and pollination. Little Cado or Wurtz are avocados that body in zones 9 through 11.
This is a dwarf variety of avocado, where the growth reaches 10 to 15 feet. However the habit is body up to 12 feet.
It is sensitive to temperatures below 32 F. While the characteristics of the fruit is small to medium and tastes good. The skin of the fruit is thin and the color does not change even when it is ripe.
The blooming period is late winter to spring. While the harvest period is May to September.
This is a true dwarf avocado, if you want to grow in pots, this is the best choice, although there are several other varieties that are also considered dwarf, but the Wurtz or Little cado varieties are true dwarf varieties.