“Pandemic-origin seedlings — 'what got me into gardening.' Two or three tangled trees grown from sprouted seeds.”
Background
Not a cultivar at all: these are Matt's own trees grown from grocery-store avocado pits sprouted during the pandemic. Seedling avocados do not come true to type, so their fruit quality, vigor, cold hardiness, and flower type are unpredictable and cannot be looked up. This is general seedling guidance, not cultivar research. The UA arboretum notes avocado has been a dietary staple for over 9,000 years, cultivated since around 8000 BCE, with its name from the Nahuatl 'ahuacatl.'
Distinguishing traits
Unpredictable in every trait: fruit may differ markedly from the parent (usually a Hass-type grocery fruit), trees are typically vigorous and upright, and flower type (A or B) is unknown until the tree blooms. Seedlings are often used as rootstock for grafting known varieties. The UA arboretum describes avocado as a low-branching evergreen tree with leathery, anise-scented leaves and large clusters of greenish-yellow winter flowers.
Desert care — zone 9b
- Chill hours
- Not limiting; unknown and variable by seedling.
- Cold hardiness
- Unpredictable; treat as frost-tender (protect below about 30°F) until the individual tree proves otherwise. Young seedlings are the most vulnerable. The UA arboretum gives USDA zones 9a-10b (20-35°F), noting frost tolerance varies by race: Mexican types to 20°F, Guatemalan to 28°F, West Indian to 32°F.
- Heat tolerance
- Variable; protect young trunks from sunburn with shade or whitewash; afternoon shade cloth helps during establishment in desert heat.
- Water
- Deep, regular watering; let soil dry slightly between waterings; avoid waterlogging, which causes root rot. Salt-sensitive. The UA arboretum rates water use as moderate and recommends well-draining, aerated, high-organic soil around pH 5-5.8.
- Soil
- Well-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil; containers need a coarse, free-draining potting mix.
- Sun exposure
- Bright light to full sun once acclimated; harden off indoor-started seedlings gradually before full desert sun.