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avocado

Persea americana Mill.

Family: Lauraceae · Genus: Persea

Secondary II High No biomass production
B.navez · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

Long-lived perennial fruit tree. Pasini classifies it in the high stratum of Tabela 3 and explicitly cites it among Abundance-system species (high stratum, 10–20 year phase of Tabela 4).

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Persea gratissima C.F.Gaertn., Persea persea (L.) Cockerell, Laurus persea L., Persea edulis Raf., Persea drimyfolia Schltdl. & Cham.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary II
Ecological role
Late secondary
Primary stratum
High
Strata
High
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance
None
Soil pH range
5–7
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Sandy
Hardiness zones
9–11
Frost tolerance
-2.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
8–20 m
Recommended spacing
6–10 m
Root system
Lateral
Root depth
Shallow
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
30–80 years
Time to first harvest
48 months
Productive lifespan
40 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Avocado takes the High stratum in the Secondary II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High · ≈20 m Medium Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Requires well-drained soil — highly sensitive to waterlogging, which favours Phytophthora cinnamomi root rot; plant on deep, drained soil or a mound/raised bed. Shallow root system with few fine feeder roots, making irrigation and water management the most critical practices. Dichogamous perfect flowers (floral types A and B) require cross-pollination by bees; interplanting both floral types raises fruit set.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Tolerates formative and height-control pruning but does not resprout from the stump (does not coppice). Manage working height by post-harvest topping; prune to open the canopy and ease harvest.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: August, September, October

Fruiting months: February, March, April, May

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of avocado?

The first harvest of avocado comes around 48 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for avocado?

The recommended spacing for avocado is 6–10 m.

How tall does avocado grow?

At maturity, avocado reaches 8–20 m tall.

When does avocado fruit?

Fruiting of avocado occurs in February, March, April, May.

When does avocado flower?

Flowering of avocado occurs in August, September, October.

What stage and stratum does avocado occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, avocado belongs to the secondary ii stage, occupying the high stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit Oil seed Timber

Propagation

Seed, Grafting

Citations

  1. Pasini, F. & Guimarães, L. (2017) — Conceitos e princípios práticos da agrofloresta sucessional, Tabela 3 (Incaper) , p. 116 (primary_stratum)
  2. Pasini, F. & Guimarães, L. (2017) — Sistema de Abundância , p. 118 (gotsch_stage)
  3. Pasini, F. & Guimarães, L. (2017) — Tabela 4 (arranjo agroflorestal por estrato e tempo) , p. 120 (gotsch_stage)
  4. POWO — Persea americana Mill. (Plants of the World Online, Kew) (scientific_author, family, genus, synonyms, powo_id)
  5. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Persea americana Mill. (gbif_taxon_key, synonyms)
  6. UC IPM — Avocado, Phytophthora Root Rot (waterlogging_tolerance, root_system, root_depth, cultivation_notes)
  7. University of Florida IFAS — Persea americana Fact Sheet ST-435 (height_min_m, height_max_m, ph_min, ph_max, growth_rate)
  8. Gardenia.net — Persea americana (Avocado Tree) (lifespan_years_min, lifespan_years_max, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, frost_tolerance_c)
  9. A.B.E.L.H.A. — Hortifrútis da estação: abacate (polinização por abelhas) (phenology, cultivation_notes)
  10. Incaper — Cultivares de abacateiro para diferentes altitudes do Espírito Santo (phenology, spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m, time_to_first_harvest_months, productive_lifespan_years)

External references

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